


BALLAD

by nightrunning



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Background Promptis - Freeform, First Kiss, First Time, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Frottage, Getting Together, Gladio's innate ability to kiss for like ages, Gladnis, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oral Sex, Slow Burn, watch these tags go from 0 to 100
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-22
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-08-06 01:36:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 24,495
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16378901
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightrunning/pseuds/nightrunning
Summary: ‘It’s only been a week,’‘Five days,’ Gladio corrected with a smirk.Ignis bit back an answering smile. ‘Well, when you put it that way,’‘You’d call me, right?’ he asked Pryna, taking her face between his hands and smushing it a little. She wagged her tail. ‘See?’‘Quite the vote of confidence,’A modern AU where Gladio has a bookstore, a shirt-optional lifestyle, and a huge crush. Ignis knows about two of these things.





	1. Chapter 1

Noctis had been  _ quite _ insistent.

 

“Nobody wants to get up before six literally every day,” he’d said, causing Ignis to frown and remind him that it was his job, regardless, and that “want” didn’t come into it. Noctis had scoffed and given Ignis the following morning off. Ignis protested. Noctis ignored him.

 

So, Ignis now had five hours to fill as he wanted and nothing that he particularly wanted to do to fill them. He woke at the same time he usually woke, showered, ate, and was turning the key in his car when he remembered Noctis’ words.  _ Don’t come in tomorrow morning, Specs. I mean it. I’ll kick your ass. _

 

It was more that Ignis didn’t want to defy a direct order than not get his “ass kicked”, but still, he queued with the rest of the Insomnian traffic, wondering how to spend his time when he was barred from spending it productively.

 

The day was grey and slow. People bundled up for the changing of the seasons, and Ignis listened to the radio on low with one hand on the wheel and the other propping up his chin.

 

Eventually, Ignis pulled into an underground carpark and headed onto the high street, avoiding the cobbles for the more even pavement. He couldn’t help checking off the buildings as he went; Insomnia was the Caelum family’s city, or rather it had been. Now, more and more capital was being raised by outsiders wanting a piece of the monopoly that Regis and his forebears had watched over for generations.

 

The thought was dangerously work-oriented. Ignis banished it.

 

It was too early to eat again and he’d never been one for window shopping or idle browsing, but as he crossed the road with the swell of the early morning commuters, he spotted something that tugged at his curiosity.

 

The shop had been there for years on the corner next to a florist, though Ignis had never been inside or seen the proprietor. A bookstore called Amaranth, with a small, closed, glass door and a flickering  _ We’re Open! _ sign.

 

Ignis approached only to hesitate outside; he had a stack of unread books as tall as he was, he didn’t need more, but what else was there to do? The thought of winding down the hours alone in a cafe made his fingers itch. He took a breath and adjusted his scarf, then pushed open the door.

 

A bell sang, the door closed behind him, and then all the noise of the street outside was snuffed out. Ignis glanced around the dim shop. It was… different. Insomnia had bookstores on every row and in every mall, but Amaranth didn’t have wide aisles and clear divisions of categories. It was a maze, wall-to-wall, and Ignis went by with a strange caution, afraid he might wake the books.

 

In roughly the centre of the room was a counter cluttered with flowers arranged in odd vases; glass ones, pewter ones, some tall and others boxy. The shelves the books sat on were just as mismatched. Ignis craned to see the names on the spines, noticing that there were an awful lot of romances, which… were generally the sort of thing he thought about buying online rather than in-person. Each step he took made the floorboards creak underfoot. Ignis half expected to see a mouse scurry by.

 

What he didn’t expect, and what made him jump out of his skin, was a door opening on the adjacent wall. A rumbling voice rang out and shattered the silence.

 

‘Hey, sorry - be with you in a sec!’

 

Ignis whirled around and grabbed onto the nearest bookcase for support. When he stopped seeing spots, and when his heart had stopped trying to thump its way through his chest, he adjusted his glasses… only to do a double-take when he saw who was squeezing through the book-obstructed doorway.

 

The man was taller than Ignis by an easy four or five inches and had more than enough muscle to render him speechless for a moment, complimented by a sprawling tattoo that was draped across his shoulders and arms. He wore all black, a loose tank top and sweats, with dark hair tied back a little haphazardly, the beginnings of a beard, and sharp eyebrows above amber eyes flecked with brown and gold.

 

Their eyes met. The man smiled, and Ignis found he couldn’t look directly at him when he did.

 

‘Sorry about that. Sister was calling me - some sixteen-year old kid drama that couldn’t wait, y’know?’

 

Ignis nodded. He didn’t know.

 

The man clambered over piles of books to make his way behind the counter. He turned some of the vases and flipped on a lamp serving as the shop’s main light source, what with the majority of the windows hidden behind shelves, then leant forward and tilted his head.

 

For such an imposing man he was decidedly…  _ bright _ .

 

‘You’re up early, huh?’

 

Ignis hadn’t moved yet. It was a familiar question, and he wondered if he was being mistaken for someone else.

 

‘Force of habit, I’m afraid,’ he answered, nevertheless.

 

‘Yeah, tell me about it,’ came the reply, matched with another easy smile. Ignis shifted his eyes. ‘Name’s Gladio,’

 

Gladio? Ignis chanced to look at him, trying to place the  _ click _ he’d felt in his memory. He was certain he’d have remembered meeting Gladio before, but there was something there, something he felt he should know.

 

‘Ignis,’ he replied, then paused a moment before continuing. ‘Have we met?’

 

‘Seem familiar?’

 

‘A little actually, yes,’

 

Something in Gladio’s smile changed. He rubbed at his jaw, nodding slowly, then straightened up. ‘Nah, don’t think so,’

 

Ignis hummed, and was startled all over again when Gladio suddenly thumped a hand onto the counter and made the vases jump.

 

‘Anyway, what can I do for ya?’

 

‘Pardon?’

 

‘You lookin’ for something specific? Guy who ran this place before me ran it for like forty years, so I bet we got something for you,’

 

_ Books. _ Of course. Ignis gave himself a shake and let go of the thread he couldn’t trace to a source.  _ I know you though, don’t I? _

 

Gladio waited on an answer with a politely puzzled sort of look. Ignis’ heart hadn’t completely recovered from the scares it’d had, and he rubbed at his chest idly, mulling over a reply as he felt it beating ten to the dozen.

 

‘Ah, not particularly,’ Ignis faltered wordlessly for a moment. ‘I always meant to stop by. Today I had more free time than usual,’

 

‘No worries, I’m glad you did. What kinda stuff you into?’

 

Blank, again. Ignis worried his lip. Recently his reading material had been rather dry, comprised mostly of minutes from meetings, reports from Niflheim representatives, Noctis’ overdue homework…

 

‘Ah, historical accounts for the most part,’

 

Gladio perked up. ‘Fiction?’

 

‘Non-fiction,’

 

Gladio clicked his tongue. ‘Gotcha. I think we had an anthology of Kings a while back? It was a kid’s thing though, and I guess you probably got a higher reading level than that, right?’

 

Ignis returned Gladio’s smile shyly and watched him scoot out from behind the counter to comb through a shelf. He could easily reach the top, Ignis noted, and a the lamplight cast his profile in sharp relief as he dragged a finger across the spines. Gladio frowned and moved to another bookcase, past Ignis who turned to watch.

 

Gladio’s tattoo peeked out at the nape of his neck, and, Ignis noted, for a split second, near the small of his back.

 

‘There he is,’ Gladio pulled a book out of place. It had a crocodile-green cover and golden script, and Ignis accepted it wordlessly when Gladio thrust it at him. He smiled and tapped the cover.

 

‘So, it’s not non-fiction, but I still think you’re gonna like it,’ he said.

 

‘I’ll take your word for it,’

 

The book was rather thin in Ignis’ hands, and he went with Gladio back to the counter where they realised, with an exchange of smiles, that it’d need to change hands again for Gladio to ring it up.

 

Afterwards, he swiped a strip of paper from the card machine.

 

‘Here’s your receipt,’ he said, finding a pencil in the clutter on the counter and flipping over the scrap. ‘And herrre,’ Gladio scratched something on it. ‘is my number,’

 

He held it out with the book. Ignis blinked at it, at him.

 

‘Your number?’

 

Gladio tucked the pencil behind his ear. ‘Right there,’

 

‘I, for…’

 

‘For you to call me,’ Gladio laughed like it was the most obvious thing, and Ignis could follow the logic, admittedly. His heart thumped again. He took the book and paper, glancing down at the number which was signed off with a  _ G _ . Ignis put it inside the book.

 

This had to be a shop policy, an odd one, admittedly, but then again it was an odd shop. An odd  _ day _ .

 

‘To call you,’ Ignis said. ‘About-?’

 

‘Anything,’ shrugged Gladio.

 

Ignis paused, and met Gladio’s eyes again - he smiled.

 

‘Oh,’ Ignis said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading!!! im very excited to be writing again lads
> 
> im xgladiolus.tumblr.com on uhhh tumblr lets talk about how those deck chairs in ffxv supposedly hold up gladios ass (i do want more ffxv content on my dash for reals so lets follow each other cause im like done with playing wheres wally with the had to do it to em guy)
> 
>  
> 
> P.S for interested parties!  
> i am gonna be carrying on with the rest of my WIPs but yall know how it is when you freak out about one idea... 
> 
>  
> 
> thank you again for reading! <3


	2. Chapter 2

**** ‘He’s being such a good boy today! Usually he wants off his lead by now,’

 

‘He seems quite well behaved,’

 

‘Probably ‘cause you’re here,’ Prompto grinned.

 

Ignis wasn’t sure about that - he’d never had pets, and Umbra and Pryna were the first dogs he’d spent any real time with. They trotted apace, and Umbra occasionally looked back to Prompto with a tongue-lolling  _ glad to be outside _ sort of look. There was a touch of mischief in the dog’s eyes, Ignis reckoned, though he’d grown fond of him and his more mild-mannered companion.

 

Every Sunday morning Prompto collected the pair from Luna’s place in the sticks and took them for a walk around the Insomnia suburbs. Today, Prompto had invited Ignis along, and Ignis had been glad to take in the brisk air and do a little catching up.

 

They’d been busy in their own bubbles recently, Ignis with work and Prompto with his schooling, but the two of them maintained an understated friendship that, admittedly, started with Noctis.

 

Together, they trampled over the freshly fallen leaves and watched the dogs’ tails wag.

 

‘I meant to ask you, have you seen much of a difference in Noctis recently?’ Ignis asked.

 

Prompto winced. ‘At first, yeah. I totally saw it. He picked right up and got all motivated and I thought he’d like, y’know,’ he said, motioning forward with his free hand. ‘Carry on with it? But I dunno. It’s like things went back to normal and he’s stuck again.’

 

‘And so the momentum has been lost,’

 

‘Uh huh,’

 

Ignis frowned. Regis’ visits to the hospital had become more frequent as of late, and this month’s trip had been the longest in Ignis’ memory. Initially, Noctis had slumped - understandably, of course, but Ignis had hoped that his father’s all-clear would spark something in him.

 

‘And in himself, does he seem changed?’

 

Prompto thought it over. He’d come dressed for the turning of the season in a beige coat lined with plush faux-fur and a pair of decent walking boots. Just in time, too, seeing as this morning there’d been frost on the ground. The trees were practically clinging to the last of their leaves.

 

‘I’ve not seen that much of him, so… I mean, I guess that in itself is kinda weird?’

 

‘Ah,’

 

Prompto shrugged and conjured a smile. ‘But we talk a bunch still, on IM and stuff, and I was gonna say he’s probably catching up on sleep he missed but he’d do that anyway,’

 

Ignis laughed at that. Still, a certain tension in his stomach twisted that much tighter - Regis was keen to involve Noctis more closely in the business, sooner rather than later. Noctis was presently preoccupied with university, a serious affair in itself, and the family business, the scale of it… Ignis tucked his hands into the pockets of his long coat. He’d have to be ready; both of them would.

 

‘But!’ Prompto chirped. Umbra was sniffing the pavement as they went, Pryna stayed closer to Prompto’s side, and they wound around the corner of the block. In the distance, between the houses, Ignis could see the concrete clutter of Insomnia. ‘What’s new with you, buddy?’

 

‘Nothing particularly,’

 

‘That can’t be true,’ Prompto said with a smile.

 

‘I’m afraid so,’

 

‘We haven’t seen on another in ages, there’s gotta be something!’

 

Ignis looked to Prompto… who had a definite sparkle in his eye.

 

Flipping back through the last few days, well, he’d gone back to work, bought a new coffee table for himself (and spent the better part of an evening putting it together by himself), and driven Noctis to get takeout twice against his better judgement. So, no, nothing out of the ordinary at all. Ignis raised a brow.

 

‘Are you certain there’s nothing you want to tell _ me _ ?’

 

Prompto laughed. ‘Nah, same old same old with me,’

 

‘Your studies are going well?’

 

‘Yeah! I think so. Got a day in the darkroom tomorrow. Some of those picture are gonna turn out great - it’s the best part, doing the thing with the tray and the chemicals and watching the stuff appear,’

 

‘And your exam-’

 

Ignis was cut off by a squawk of indignation. Pryna looked back.

 

‘No exam talk on the weekend!’ Prompto flapped a hand at Ignis, who gave a smile and let the topic slide. He was certain Prompto had his preparations well in hand, moved by passion if not practicality.

 

Someone called Ignis’ name.

 

Umbra’s tail wagged harder, and Ignis thought it’d been Prompto for a half-second before he realised the voice was too deep and distant. As it was, Prompto was gawking up ahead where a man in weather-unappropriate hoodie and tank top was jogging up to them. Smiling.

 

‘Gladio?’

 

They met halfway along the street beneath a tall hedgerow. Gladio was a little out of breath and had a bloom of colour in his cheeks, and he looked from Prompto to Ignis, combing a hand through his hair.

 

‘Hey, fancy seein’ you here!’

 

‘On another early morning no less,’

 

Gladio’s answering bark of laughter probably woke up half the neighbourhood.

 

‘Yeah, we gotta stop meeting like this,’ he said, then jabbed a thumb in the direction of the dogs who’d gathered expectantly at his feet. ‘These guys yours?’

 

‘No-’

 

Gladio didn’t seem to hear. He knelt and ruffled Umbra’s fur, giving him a good scratch behind the ear that set his tail thumping onto the pavement. Ignis saw Prompto field him a politely puzzled look that he could only blink back at - what was happening, exactly, was lost on him presently.

 

Umbra was enjoying himself, though. He had his paws on Gladio’s knees now, sniffing at his face.

 

‘Man, he likes you,’ Prompto said.

 

‘Yeah he does,’ Gladio cooed, and after a final roughhousing pat turned his attention to a patient Pryna, who accepted her scratches with far more decorum. Ignis met Gladio’s eyes and felt a familiar flicker when he smiled and tilted his head.

 

‘So, you haven’t called yet,’

 

Ignis froze. He’d been using Gladio’s scribbled note as a bookmark, turning it over in his hands as he read, looking at the numbers afterwards and wondering… then tucking it away again.  _ It’s too late tonight _ , he’d think, or  _ he won’t want to be disturbed on a Friday evening. _

 

‘It’s only been a week,’

 

‘Five days,’ Gladio corrected with a smirk.

 

Ignis bit back an answering smile. ‘Well, when you put it that way,’

 

‘You’d call me, right?’ he asked Pryna, taking her face between his hands and smushing it a little. She wagged her tail. ‘See?’

 

‘Quite the vote of confidence,’

 

‘I always trust what a dog thinks of a guy,’ Gladio said, giving each a last ruffle before getting back to his feet with a huff. He wore a chain Ignis hadn’t seen before, black metal links, and as he stood it swung back and hit his chest.

 

Ignis quickly lifted his eyes.

 

‘Me and Pryna will have to confer in private later, then,’ Ignis said, and immediately kicked himself for it.  _ What a bizarre thing to say!  _ Gladio was nodding.  _ Do you really want him to think you’re going to talk to a dog? _

 

‘Well, once you’re done with that you give me a call, okay? Or a text. Whatever works,’ he said, adjusting the neck of his hoodie so it sat flat.

 

Ignis nodded, and Gladio produced a phone from his pocket and checked the time, swearing under his breath as he hastily tucked it away again.

 

‘Anyway, I gotta run. Take it easy, yeah? It’s Sunday y’know,’

 

He winked, Ignis lowered his eyes and smiled, and then he was gone, rushing down the road. Umbra whined and walked a half dozen paces after him. Ignis felt rather like he’d been caught in the eye of a hurricane.

 

‘Dude,’ said Prompto.

 

‘Mmm,’ Ignis agreed.

 

They watched Gladio fish something out of his pockets as he went. Headphones? He had trouble untangling them, taking strides Ignis wondered if he’d be able to keep up with if they walked together. He hummed lowly and adjusted his glasses. Pryna was sat at his feet. He rubbed her ear.

 

Prompto was staring.

 

‘Are you ready to carry on?’ Ignis asked.

 

Prompto nodded and called Umbra back to heel. They walked more slowly than before with a new buzz between them - Gladio had struck like a bolt from the blue. Eventually, Prompto bit his lip and shot Ignis a plaintive glance.

 

‘You gotta call him,’

 

‘Pardon?’

 

Prompto nodded fervently. ‘He seemed nice! And he was nice to the dogs, too, and he’s like… y’know,’

 

‘Like what?’

 

‘Um, stacked,’ Prompto said seriously. Ignis looked straight ahead. ‘Dude, you really should call him-no, text him! You can do that now-’

 

‘I’m not going to do it now,’

 

‘But you are gonna do it?’

 

Ignis paused a moment before answering. His decision didn’t surprise him, but only perhaps because he’d long since made it.

 

‘Yes,’ he answered carefully. ‘But not now whilst we’re walking the dogs for Luna,’

 

‘And why not?’

 

‘Because he’s little more than thirty seconds down the road, Prompto,’

 

‘So? Come on, it’d make his day to get a little beep from you right now and you  _ know _ it, dude!’

 

‘Perhaps,’

 

Prompto nudged Ignis’ side. ‘Can’t you just imagine him grinning to himself?’

 

Ignis… could, actually. Odd really, considering it was only the second time they’d met, and only a fleeting meeting at that, and stil he  _ could _ imagine it. Gladio’s smiles came easily, each one free and honey-like.

 

_ Wait, what? _

 

Prompto gave a  _ whoop _ .

 

‘See! C’mon, I’ll help,’

 

Ignis frowned but grudgingly accepted that Prompto was onto something. With his “help” he’d be more likely to send a message than if he were to go home tonight and think himself out of doing anything at all.

 

He retrieved his phone and unlocked it, giving a very excited Prompto a steady sidelong glance as he navigated to Gladio’s number.

 

‘A brief message,’

 

‘Easy breezy, you got it,’

 

Ignis began typing, and felt Pryna settle against his leg.

 

_ Gladiolus- _

 

‘Full name’s a bit much don’t you think?’ Prompto suggested.

 

Ignis amended it.

 

_ Gladio, how are you? I was surprised to bump into you- _

 

‘Uh,’ Prompto piped up. He smiled sheepishly when Ignis looked to him. He gestured. ‘I dunno, that just sounds like you were weirded out by it or something.’

 

Ignis agreed and made the correction.

 

‘And, uh, you can probably erase the  _ how are you _ , too, if you wanna keep it short and sweet,’

 

‘I’d still like to be polite,’

 

‘You will be! Just keep it like  _ hey nice seeing ya I’ll call ya later _ , you feel?’

 

Ignis nodded.  _ All this for one message _ , he thought to himself with a flush of adrenaline.

 

_ Gladio, a pleasure to see you again today I’ll call you properly later on - if that’s all good with yourself? _

 

‘Like this?’

 

Prompto tried to smile but it came out like a grimace. Ignis huffed, defeated.

 

‘Gimme here,’ Prompto said and didn’t wait for Ignis to hand the phone over. He swiped it and tapped out a fresh message, then, looking pleased with himself, flashed the screen at Ignis when he was done. Umbra had a leaf in his mouth.

 

_ Gladio, it was nice to meat you again just now. Call you later? _

 

‘Good right?’

 

It wasn’t good.  _ Meat  _ wasn’t good.

 

‘Prompto-’

 

‘Send!’

 

With one tap of his screen-friendly gloves Prompto sent the message and turned all the blood in Ignis’ body to ice. He stared at the screen where the new conversation stared back at him.  _ Meat. _

 

‘Meat,’ said Ignis, numbly.

 

‘Uh?’

 

‘You-’

 

Prompto frowned at the screen and realised. He clapped a hand over his mouth, barely disguising the grin that’d come over him, and Ignis didn’t know whether he wanted to disappear down the deepest fissure on the planet or take the phone and launch it into one of these perfectly pristine gardens. Both. Neither!

 

He did take the phone, though.

 

‘It’s- um, maybe he’ll ignore it?’

 

He’d still have to see it.  _ Meat… _ was there a single worse word Prompto could’ve sent? Ignis glanced back down at the message and felt a thump in his chest when two telling ticks appeared beside it. He panicked. He locked the phone and stuffed it into his pocket.

 

‘We’ll have to hope so,’ he said.

 

‘You’ll tell me when he replies, right?’

 

‘No.’

 

‘Aw!’ Prompto beamed. Ignis ignored him and picked up the pace. With a click of his tongue Prompto had the dogs at his side again - Umbra dropped his leaf and yawned, and Pryna bumped her nose against Ignis’ hand and won a pat for her trouble.

 

The two of them fell into a companionable silence as they walked then; Ignis bound up in thoughts of  _ meat _ and acutely aware of the fact he was sweating a little, and Prompto humming to himself, watching the dogs trot along.

 

After a while Ignis felt his phone buzz in his pocket. His stomach flipped. He glanced at Prompto - but Prompto hadn’t heard, evidently. Ignis discreetly checked his phone after taking a minute to push out a breath.

 

_ sure, ill be weighting _

 

Ignis bit back a smile and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

 

* * *

 

Ten minutes had passed without Noctis making a decision, and Ignis saw his plans of a bath and an early night slipping away from him.

 

‘I dunno, I mean, if you’re only gonna get one for the whole month then it’s probably better to get an RPG? We have King’s Knight on our phones for like, more casual stuff,’

 

‘You calling me a casual,’

 

‘Dude,’ Prompto said with a hand over his heart. ‘Never,’

 

The two of them grinned at one another. Ignis didn’t understand.

 

Noctis had woken up at one, and after an almighty scramble to see him to his martial arts class on time, he’d called Ignis an hour later to declare he was going out to town later and would need dropping off… and that Prompto was going too, and would also need dropping off. Ignis had been halfway through boiling the kettle at the time, and truth be told his mind was still half in his kitchen.

 

‘What do you think, Specs?’ Noctis asked, holding two game cases up.

 

Ignis glanced over them both. He’d heard the boys mention both titles from time to time, but otherwise knew less than nothing about their content or overall enjoyability. He nodded at the leftmost.

 

‘See, Ignis votes RPG too,’ Prompto clapped.

 

‘I guess I can find eighty hours to kill,’ Noctis put the other case back and lead the way to the game store’s checkout. A short queue barred the way - Ignis was taller than anyone else in it. ‘How’s Luna, Prom?’

 

‘Good, good,’ said Prompto. ‘She said she’s gonna be outta town next week,’

 

‘I heard, yeah,’

 

‘Weird time of year to go to the seaside, right?’

 

‘That’s just where her campus is gonna be,’

 

‘Yeah? Pretty cool that’s it’s near the beach. I’d definitely go check it out,’

 

‘You’d freeze your ass off this time of year,’

 

‘Pff, then it’s not worth the risk!’ Prompto swatted Noctis on the arm, Noctis swatted back, and both stopped when Ignis lightly cleared his throat. ‘Oh, guess who we saw today!’

 

‘Shoot,’

 

Prompto pointed a pair of finger-guns. ‘Gladio,’

 

Noctis looked from Prompto to Ignis and raised a brow. ‘Gladio Amicitia? Like, as in Clarus Amicitia’s kid?’

 

Ignis realised it a fraction of a second before Noctis finished.  _ Of course _ \- he’d been certain he knew Gladio from somewhere. He’d spoken with Clarus a number of times at Regis’ request, always during work time, always  _ for _ work, but he’d been aware the man had children who lived beyond the periphery of the business. Ignis adjusted his glasses, dumbfounded, guilty, almost.

 

‘He’s an alright guy, yeah,’ Noctis went on, then frowned.

 

Prompto flicked his elbow. ‘What is it?’

 

‘Kinda moody sometimes, I guess?’

 

‘That’s just your effect on him,’

 

Noctis made a face. ‘Sure.’

 

Prompto laughed and shook his head, then leant in to whisper something in Noctis’ ear - something quick, but it made Noctis roll his eyes and smile.

 

‘Shoulda guessed, honestly,’

 

‘I know, right?!’

 

‘What?’ Ignis pressed, feeling distinctly as though his ears might begin to burn if this carried on any longer.

 

‘Nothing, don’t sweat it,’ Noctis said, breaking into another small smile when he saw Prompto rocking back and forth on his feet. The queue shuffled up. Noctis handed the game to Ignis… who took it, raising a brow. ‘Uh, can you do the… till stuff with that? I didn’t bring my ID and it’s an eighteen, so…’

 

‘Noctis, you’re a lot older than eighteen,’

 

‘Not a  _ lot _ ,’ he muttered.

 

Ignis sighed, but agreed all the same. He stepped ahead of the boys in the queue - they went on talking, but his mind drifted again, though not to his kitchen this time. Clarus’ son… did that mean Gladio would assume his father’s position one day, as Noctis would Regis’? It seemed unlikely. Ignis had never seen Gladio around the manor nor the boardrooms, and yet he was bound up in all this one way or another, wasn’t he?  _ And I didn’t recognise him _ . Ignis shifted, and scattered the thoughts before they could grow too heavy.  _ He’s more than a scion of the business, though. _

 

He remembered Gladio’s bookshop and all the clutter inside, the way he’d leant on the counter, and even today, the way he’d laughed, how he’d-

 

‘You’re up, Ignis,’ Prompto said, giving him a tap on the elbow.

 

The image of the early morning sun on Gladio’s skin dissipated.

 

Ignis came back to the present with a shiver and saw a cashier looking expectantly at him. He nodded to Prompto, and made a move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> disclaimer : .. .ive never had a pet dog in my life
> 
> TY for reading! <3 and thank you for your comments and kudos omg!!, im very excited to carry on with this fic....   
> (xgladiolus.tumblr.com if you wana TALK and help me project even further out of my real life for a while longer)
> 
> next chapter is a little shorter but it's very cute so watch this space


	3. Chapter 3

Ignis stared at his phone. He’d been staring for a while now, unable to bring himself to do anything  _ but _ .

 

It was perilously early on a Sunday morning for this sort of thing. He’d woken, eaten, tidied what could be tidied, then settled down to comb through his finances before the neighbours woke and started with their usual stomping about - and then Gladio had texted him. Texted a picture of himself.

 

He unlocked his phone when it faded to black, navigating back to the picture to reread the accompanying message.

 

_ wanna meet up after work tomorrow? _

 

The answer was simple enough - surprisingly so, but Ignis wasn’t certain how he should communicate it. A  _ yes _ seemed too dry after the ornamentation of Gladio’s message, and yet his face grew warm at the thought of replying in kind with a picture.

 

He’d thought it’d been a mistake at first, but he and Gladio had been texting here and there over the week, and it seemed unlikely Gladio would mistake their trail of conversation for someone else’s. It was simple talk, mind, even if it had become habitual.  _ How are you? What are you up to? How’s work? _ Ignis would get home and change into comfortable clothes and wait for Gladio’s text, toying with the label of his blanket as the TV flickered in the background.

 

_ read anything good? _

 

_ Not since I finished the book you recommended, no. (Unless work documents count?) _

 

_ aw so you liked it?? (and yeah no they dont) _

 

_ I did - you seem surprised. _

 

_ nah just glad. got more recs if you want em _

 

_ If I want to purchase them, you mean. _

 

_ haha well… i got discounts special for you don’t worry _

 

Ignis scrolled through the week’s worth of messages before letting the conversation spool back down. It’d been so easy until now.

 

Gladio had taken the picture in the gym, apparently, giving Ignis cause to wonder how early he woke to work it into his schedule. He’d not deigned to wear a shirt despite the weather, and there was an unseasonal touch of sweat across his stomach and chest, a fine fuzz of hair, and more of that tattoo that seemed to pool across his skin. Ignis couldn’t focus on any one part of Gladio’s body long enough to tell if he was tensing…

 

He pulled his pyjama clad legs up beneath him on the couch.

 

Gladio was smiling in the picture, and Ignis lost his train his thought.

 

He didn’t know whether it was a blessing or a curse that Prompto wasn’t around to help him this time. Any mentions of  _ meat _ would be especially disastrous considering the…  _ well _ , the picture’s subject. Ignis decided it was a blessing.

 

Outside, it began to rain. He didn’t notice.

 

_ I’ll see you soon _ . he typed, and hit send.

 

* * *

 

Ignis gave his umbrella a shake before ducking under the Amaranth lintel; the rain had become a downpour that was bouncing off the pavement. The little bell greeted Ignis as he passed inside, the scent of resting books, too - but Gladio was nowhere to be seen.

 

His heart was racing, he realised. Had he been walking quickly?  _ To avoid the rain,  _ Ignis thought, setting a hand on his chest as if to admonish the thumping. It’d have done nobody any good if the flask of tea he’d brought went cold, either.

 

‘Gladiolus?’

 

Dust stirred in the air; Insomnia's grey pall was especially dour today. Strange how Amaranthe took the city and muted it, reducing the noise to a  _ hum _ . Strange how Ignis could feel such at the same time as a nervous tug in his gut.

 

‘Iggy, that you?’

 

He blinked.  _ Iggy? _ He supposed that was him, yes. Ignis called out as much and heard a scuffle of footsteps and boxes scraping across a musty floor in the adjacent room, he set his umbrella by the door.

 

‘Do you need help?’

 

‘Nah,’ Gladio called back. ‘I got it, you sit down,’ 

 

Ignis shrugged off his coat and folded it across his arms as he navigated the maze of books, clutching the flask. The same titles winked back at him - romances, mostly. Lovelorn stories in amongst even older and more heavily bound books, without a bestseller in sight. He went behind the counter to where a pair of armchairs had taken root in amongst the volumes, draping his coat over the leftmost one.

 

Gladio emerged in a black longsleeve with a deep-cut neckline. He grinned when he saw Ignis.

 

‘Thought I told you to sit?

 

Ignis smiled, sheepishly, and sat.

 

‘I’m sorry if this is a bad time,’ he said. It’d been a moment of impulsivity that’d turned frenetic -  _ what if he’s busy? What if he’s expecting someone else? _

 

Gladio dismissed the notion. His smile faltered when the seat he sank into creaked, but he found it again easily enough.

 

‘It’s all good, I was only goin’ through Jared’s old stuff anyway,’

 

‘I see,’ Ignis said. He held the flask out to Gladio… who blinked. Ignis met his eyes for a moment before directing his gaze to his shoes. ‘It’s tea. I noticed last time that you had no heating, and… it’s a brisk day,’

 

In the moment it took Gladio to look at him, to the flask, and back again, Ignis began to doubt the legitimacy of all the decisions he’d made in the past,  _ oh _ , twenty or so years of his life.

 

It occurred to him that he didn’t even know if Gladio  _ liked _ tea.

 

His laughter brought Ignis out of his thoughts and back into the shop. Gladio took the flask and cradled it between his hands, relishing the warmth of it with a hum.

 

‘For real? This is…’ he smiled again, but it was different now. Ignis felt a blush burning on his cheeks and blamed it on the chill that still lingered on his skin. ‘I could get used to this, y’know. Delivery.’

 

‘Well,’ Ignis exhaled. ‘Don’t,’

 

Gladio tilted his head - his hair was loose today. ‘How’s things?’

 

Ignis nodded, and explained that it’d been a remarkably good week. No disasters, major or otherwise, had happened since they’d last seen one another - far from it. Prompto had a number of pictures published in a student’s photography journal, Noctis had begun to attend company meetings after his studies, and Ignis was more than content to mark off the days on the calendar in his kitchen. Routine served him well.

 

And abandoned him on the weekend, evidently. Ignis lost his train of thought when he realised Gladio was hanging on his every word.

 

The silence ran on. Gladio took a sip of the tea and made an affirmative noise.

 

‘This is really good. I’ll have to get you back,’

 

‘Don’t be silly,’ Ignis said, and removed his gloves. Gladio’s hands almost encompassed the entire flask. They were clean and well-kept, and didn’t seem as rough as Ignis had imagined. Well _. _ Not  _ imagined _ , per se... Ignis cleared his throat. ‘You’re certain I’m not catching you in the middle of anything?’

 

‘There’s nobody else here, Iggy,’

 

‘A customer-’

 

‘If a customer walks in I’ll just get up and beep whatever they buy, it’s fine,’

 

‘That’s assuming they buy something,’

 

Gladio smirked. ‘They will. It’s the charm,’

 

‘Is it?’

 

‘Worked on you, didn’t it?’

 

Ignis couldn’t argue the fact. He covered his smile a moment too late - he never had to worry about it when they were texting.

 

‘So, you finished the first book, huh?’ Gladio went on, then took another draught from the flask.

 

‘I did,’

 

‘What did you think of the ending? Kinda fell flat don’t y’think?’

 

‘It did all peter out quite suddenly,’ Ignis agreed, crossing his legs and casting back to the final few pages of the novel. A rather unsanctimonious climax for a hero who had braved mountaintops, rapier duels, and a close call with a magical pox - then again, a swift kick from a horse was just as deadly in fantasy as it was in reality.

 

Ignis remembered Noctis’ horse riding lessons… all three of them.

 

‘And the romance went nowhere, right?’

 

‘It was barely worth mentioning,’

 

‘I wouldn’t go that far,’ Gladio teased. ‘You gotta have  _ some  _ heart in a story,’

 

Something clicked into place as he watched Gladio half-lost in his own recollection of the tale, brushing his thumbs over the lip of the flask. His hair was pushed behind an ear, he was leant forward a little in the armchair -  it was daunting, really, how open he was. Emotion crossed his face effortlessly, smiles particularly, all shot through with enough underlying mischief to draw out something similar in Ignis.  _ What is it?  _ he wanted to whisper.

 

For a time they went on discussing the book. They unfurled the story between them, like taking pins from a delicate insect, and Ignis noticed that Gladio was particularly receptive to the characters’ connections with one another, whilst he had more of an eye for the larger setting of the story. It was a touch too thin for him to enjoy wholly, he decided, too spun from nothing, lacking a certain... 

 

Ignis gestured; the word was right there.

 

‘Density,’ Gladio finished.

 

He exhaled, nodding. ‘Exactly so,’

 

Gladio rubbed at his jaw and began to speak, then bit his lip.

 

‘So,’ Gladio tried again, and Ignis’ eyes flickered back up to meet his. ‘I got something else if you’re interested? Started looking for it when you mentioned you finished the other one. This one’s better, though. Plenty dense.’

 

‘Oh? Certainly,’

 

‘I’ll go grab it. Sit tight?’

 

Ignis nodded, and Gladio rose and clambered over the piles of books to disappear through the door on the wall. He seemed to take the warmth with him - Ignis huddled into his armchair and shook his foot, glancing around the shop.

 

He’d been trying to make out what the picture on the wall calendar was of when his mind wandered off by itself. Gladio mentioned he’d already thought of the book - had he remembered it outside of work? Remembered  _ him _ outside of work? The thought made him shift in the seat. 

 

But surely it wasn’t such an odd notion - they were friends, weren’t they?

 

Ignis couldn’t land on an answer. This was only his and Gladio’s third meeting, despite texting most nights, but he’d never had conversations like this before, not about anything other than work. It felt indulgent.

 

It was a calico kitten in a teacup - the calendar. Ignis didn’t know what to make of it or the equally fuzzy feeling that rolled over in his stomach.

 

Gladio reappeared looking a touch dishevelled for his time in the back. He waved the book at Ignis as he took his seat again (with another creak that made him curse, nervously). It was thicker than the last, and was Gladio’s personal copy if the bulky dust jacket and folded page corners were anything to go by. Ignis made a note to buy him a bookmark.

 

‘Sorry about that. Try finding  _ one _ damn book in a bookstore,’

 

Ignis smiled. ‘It’s no trouble,’

 

‘We should do this more often, y’know,’ Gladio said, and when it became apparent that Ignis was wondering what  _ this _ was, he shook his head, fondly. ‘I mean hang out, Iggy,’

 

‘Oh,’ Ignis gaped. ‘of course,’

 

Gladio brightened. ‘Tomorrow?’

 

Ignis laughed a little.  _ Tomorrow _ . He toyed with his leather gloves as he ran through the Monday itinerary.

 

‘You’ll have to meet me after work, I’m afraid,’

 

‘Gotcha,’ Gladio said, and handed him the book;  _ Naenia _ . Ignis traced a thumb over the raised lettering. ‘And hey, keep that,’

 

Ignis looked up. ‘You… you’re sure?’

 

Gladio nodded. He’d wound his fingers into the chain he wore and was toying with the little cross; their eyes met. Ignis held the book in his lap, a question half-perched on his lips before Gladio reached out to touch his knee. Ignis anchored to the point of contact.

 

‘Just think of me when you read it.’

 

* * *

 

_ Naenia _ was a markedly different read than Gladio’s previous recommendation - Ignis could tell from the dips he’d taken into it throughout the day, and it seemed far more fitting to his taste. The beginnings of a political mystery were emerging against a fantastical backdrop, and Ignis suspected there’d be plenty of  _ duels _ to balance the intrigue, and a lurid romantic subplot, no doubt.

 

_ Romantic  _ summed Gladio up quite well, actually.

 

Ignis was half a dozen pages deep when his phone buzzed beside him. He hesitated, picturing an emoji-laden message from Nocts requesting a late night drop-off at Prompto’s (and maybe a stop at the store on the way). He wouldn’t refuse, but he also wouldn’t like brave the cold again after shutting his door on it for the day. Ignis’ curiosity won out, and he felt a thump when he saw it was Gladio’s name on screen. And that it was another picture message.

 

This time Gladio had found a shirt.

 

He was in a living room - his own, maybe? Ignis saw a fireplace and a row of pictures on the mantle, and in the foreground  _ Gladio _ , sprawled lazily on a couch that had not been made with a man of his height in mind. And he was holding Ignis’ flask.

 

_ you left your cup at the shop _

 

He had, but only because Gladio didn’t put it down after Ignis had given it to him. He smiled and typed back.

 

_ Well, it seems cosy it least. I don’t think it minds. _

 

_ yeah? missing something though _

 

There was a ticking in Ignis’ chest, too close to anxiety for comfort but without any of the edge.

 

_ What’s that? _

 

Gladio typed for an awfully long time. The adverts on the TV ended, flicking back to the documentary Ignis hadn’t been watching.

 

_ the tea you made for a start… i don’t even have tea in the house _

 

_ Outrageous. But I can bring you more. (I prefer coffee, usually.) _

 

_ and you said you weren’t gonna carry on delivering to me… (noted btw) _

 

_ It must be that charm at work, alas. _

 

Another long pause. Ignis bit at the side of his finger.

 

_ you let me know if youre not into it ignis _

 

He blinked at that. Gladio’s texts were jarringly flat compared to their conversations in the shop, but Ignis could practically see the concern in those honey-brown eyes of his. He wondered if it’d be better to call… but then, what exactly were they talking about here? Ignis had an inkling, under his fingertips and the nape of his neck, prickling the hair there, but it was too nascent a thing to acknowledge in letters.

 

_ I will, but that’s not the case. _

 

_ sure?  _

 

_ Positive. _

 

_ gotcha. might have to ramp it up then _

 

_ My expectations are high now, you understand. _

 

The next reply was almost instant and punctuated by a string of flexing-muscle emojis. Ignis laughed, and for the rest of the evening the documentary, the book, and a mug of chamomile tea went forgotten.

 

_ good, dw i got this _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a short chapter today lads
> 
> TYSM for reading as always! thank you so much for your comments and kudos too, i reply to everything and getting the email notifications at work is the best feeling in the world
> 
> i have a v busy week this week but look for chapter 4 the same time next monday.... or earlier....
> 
> also come say hi on tunblr! im xgladiolus.tumblr.com and i need new blogs to follow so lemme know


	4. Chapter 4

He’d been held up in the stairwell for ten minutes, so Ignis had been trying to fasten his coat and fix his scarf at the same time when he saw Gladio waiting for him. He was leaning on the wall outside the building that bordered the flowerbeds. Ignis stopped, and almost hated to interrupt whatever daydream Gladio was lost in.

 

Of course, the way he brightened when he saw him more than compensated.

 

‘I’m sorry I’m late,’ Ignis said, racing against the wind that tried to snatch at the ends of his scarf. ‘The day’s schedule went out of the window after Regis made an unexpected visit. Then Cor needed-’

 

‘Iggy?’

 

Ignis blinked. ‘What is it?’

 

Gladio only tilted his head and smiled.

 

‘Hey.’

 

He had to laugh. ‘Hello, Gladio,’

 

‘Busy day then, huh?’

 

Ignis exhaled; quite frankly he’d be glad to see the back of it. The thought reminded him of what he’d been worrying over for much of the afternoon, and Gladio seemed to sense it. His brows furrowed, and he touched Ignis’ elbow.

 

‘If you’re not feeling so hot I can walk you home. We can pick this up again whenever, okay?’

 

‘It’s not that,’ Ignis said. And whilst he puzzled out how to explain what it  _ was _ , he realised how strange it was to see Gladio here, in the shadow of the Caelum head office in the clutter of Insomnia’s concrete financial district. Clarus worked here, Noctis would one day work here, but Gladio was incongruent to it all.

 

Not to say he was  _ unwelcome _ , mind. Gladio had come dressed in a well-fitting black coat with sharp collars and silver buttons today, and the wind had utterly had its way with his hair despite his best efforts to half-tie it back.

 

‘What’s up?’

 

Ah, yes. He’d been about to say something.

 

‘I’m afraid I have a final errand to run before I can officially finish for the day,’

 

Gladio gave Ignis a playful nudge. ‘Is that all? I thought you were gonna dump me,’

 

‘No, but I’ll understand if you’d rather not trapse halfway across the city with me,’

 

‘I’ve been looking forward to this all day, are you kiddin’?’ Gladio reached to take Ignis’ briefcase as they set out away from the building. Cor waved from his car; they both waved back. ‘So, where to?’

 

‘To one of our satellite offices by the river. A courier was meant to deliver trade amendments today but unfortunately they were never posted,’

 

‘And they’re getting you to go get them?’ Gladio frowned.

 

‘Well, I offered,’

 

Gladio bumped him again. ‘You’re way too nice. I hope you’re gonna get overtime for this,’

 

‘I doubt it,’

 

They rounded the corner that led to the high street. Fortunately, the buildings sheltered them from the worst of the wind.

 

‘Want me to rough someone up for ya? I can make it happen,’

 

Ignis smiled. ‘Perhaps later,’

 

‘You just say the word, boss,’ Gladio said, giving a mock salute.

 

Ignis looked away, ahead, and hoped Gladio didn’t see the shiver that gripped him for a moment.

  
  


* * *

 

It was rush hour on the metro that went deep below Insomnia, and Ignis lead Gladio through the maze of underground tunnels and ticket barriers (Gladio had to go sideways through one of them with a wry  _ hey, it’s all muscle _ ). Gladio bought their tickets, and they crammed onto the northbound service with a second to spare before the doors almost caught on Ignis’ coat.

 

‘In hindsight,’ Ignis began, quietly. They were closed in on all sides by commuters staring at the faded posters or their phones. ‘we probably could have walked,’

 

‘You were shivering,’

 

‘I’d have warmed after a minute,’

 

‘I dunno,’ Gladio said, holding tight to an overhead bar as the metro took a turn. The lights flickered - he looked at them. ‘You were cold when you came to the store the other day, too. I think you’re one of those people,’

 

‘That’s always cold?’

 

‘My sister’s the same,’

 

‘Iris,’

 

Gladio beamed. ‘Yeah. Reckons she’s seen you and Noctis with dad a couple times,’

 

Ignis wondered at that - how had Gladio and Iris gotten onto the topic of  _ him _ , exactly? The metro ground to a screeching halt at the next station and ushered a dozen more passengers aboard with a frenetic  _ beeping _ that jarred Ignis’ skull. The throng grew tighter; Ignis took a step forward and had to reach to share the same bar Gladio was holding.

 

‘Is it always like this?’ Gladio asked, frowning when an umbrella almost took out his eye.

 

‘I drive, typically,’

 

‘You drive like ten minutes across the city?’

 

‘Usually,’

 

Gladio tutted. ‘We gotta get you walkin’ more often. Maybe we can make it a thing?’

 

‘That’s,’ Ignis blinked, clutching the rail when the metro shook again. ‘that would be nice, actually,’

 

Gladio winked at him. Ignis didn’t have the space to divert his attention, and he didn’t want to remind Gladio that he did, in fact, do plenty of walking. He and Prompto had their weekend arrangement, and he often took a stroll around the block on his lunchtime breaks when the weather was agreeable. He’d started yoga, once, before his apartment had become too cold with the changing of the seasons.

 

They rode on in an amicable silence. Occasionally Gladio would smirk and nod discreetly at another passenger - an old man in tie-dye who’d fallen asleep on the shoulder of a power-suit wearing businesswoman, someone else who was working her way through a takeaway pizza, and a man reading what could only be described as hand-written erotica. Ignis bit back his amusement.

 

At the last stop before their own, another brace of passengers squashed into the carriage rather optimistically, vying for space. A man with a backpack turned and caught Ignis unawares. He lost his balance and toppled forward into Gladio, and only the volume of bodies around him prevented him from falling.

 

That, and the arm Gladio quickly put around his waist.

 

‘Hey! Watch it, buddy!’ Gladio snapped.

 

The man blanched; Gladio had a good six inches and sixty pounds of muscle on him.

 

‘I-I was making space,’

 

‘Well there ain’t none where he’s standing already!’

 

‘Gladio,’

 

Gladio’s eyes snapped back to Ignis’ and the fire dwindled down in him. He shot a last irate glance over his shoulder at the man with the bag, then huffed, tightening his hold around Ignis’ waist and bowing a little to speak to him. As it was, Ignis almost didn’t hear.

 

All he knew was that Gladio was… holding him, that his breath was on his cheek.

 

‘-okay, Ignis?’

 

‘I… pardon?’

 

‘You okay? You didn’t bust your leg or anything?’

 

‘Oh, no. I’m alright,’

 

‘Just stay close,’ Gladio frowned.

 

Ignis’ could’ve set his head on Gladio’s chest if he wanted to. The thought startled him, and he pushed it away only to feel…  _ guilty _ ? Still, the desire for certain boundaries between himself and his peers was the habit of a lifetime. Even Noctis, to a degree, lived outside of his purview. They shared a great deal, but not the more intricate thoughts or feelings; Noctis had as much trouble putting them into words as he did, and they both appreciated practical gestures too much for it to cause an issue. Gladio, however, was entirely different.

 

It was all very new, but this desire to lean into him wasn’t bad per se, was it? Physically, emotionally - it was the first time Ignis had had trouble untangling the two.

 

‘How many more stops is it?’

 

‘One more,’

 

‘Good,’

 

He couldn’t catch his smile. Gladio kept his frown, but it softened around the edges.

 

‘What?’

 

‘Nothing,’ Ignis said.  _ I’m twenty-six, I’ve travelled on worse journies than this with worse, considerably ruder people than this, and the last time I checked I wasn’t made of glass. _ The smile came again, fondly, and rather inappropriately. Gladio squeezed his waist. Ignis almost gasped, and oddly his joy only threatened to spread.

 

‘C’mon, what is it?’

 

‘What’s what?’ Ignis toyed. His heart was thumping.

 

‘You’re smiling,’

 

‘Well, I apologise. I’ll stop,’

 

‘Shit, no-I mean, it’s just…’ Gladio started, then gave the crowded train a wary sidelong glance. He bit his lip, then. ‘It’s… cute,’

 

For all its twists and turns, flickering lights, the smell of pizza - the train faded.

 

‘What?’

 

Gladio smiled, shrugging.

 

‘Nah. Nothing,’

 

* * *

 

Gladio let out a heavy breath when they emerged from the subway into the street. The building they were headed to was a only brisk walk beside the canal away, but Gladio insisted they stop at a cart for something warm to drink. He said he wouldn’t have Ignis shivering if he could help it, and refused to take his money, either. He walked between Ignis and the road as they went on - it felt rather like having a bodyguard.

 

The satellite office occupied the fifth floor of an unassuming tower block that Ignis had visited once before in order to liaise with the team of architects and municipal planners. A cheery receptionist greeted them as they entered, and gave them clearance to head up via the lift. Gladio asked if there were stairs, and Ignis was privately relieved when he was informed that they’d been cordoned off for cleaning.

 

It was a luxury to have the little four-by-four lift to themselves after the metro. Ignis stepped in first, and Gladio joined him… putting his arm around his waist again.

 

Ignis glanced up. Gladio raised a brow - asking for permission?  _ Should I nod? Lean into him? _  He couldn’t say what was appropriate, and so offered a sheepish smile as he reached press the  _ 5 _ on the lift panel. The doors closed, and dimmed the light.

 

Gladio watched the little digitised screen as the floor numbers scrolled by, and Ignis watched him watching, noting the details of his face from this particular angle and proximity. He had a scar cut into his eyebrow to match the other on his face, and he eyes weren’t entirely brown - their middles were banded with gold and impossibly deep. Gladio seemed to be letting his beard grow in, too. Ignis’ hand twitched. He didn’t know why.

 

‘You okay?’

 

Ignis nodded, mutely.

 

Gladio smiled, and his gazed lowered for a moment. It was as though he were thinking something over… but the chime of the lift interrupted him. Neither of them moved when the doors opened.

 

‘This us?’

 

‘It is, further down the corridor,’

 

The office was deserted - nobody liked to linger a minute past five, evidently. The cleaning staff said a polite  _ hello _ when they made their way through the empty desks. Gladio pointed out a framed picture of a cat in a lion costume, and then tutted at the sight of a potted spider plant that was turning brown, condemning the owner’s  _ poor parenting _ . Ignis waited for him to finish then gestured at the director’s office.

 

‘It’s in here,’

 

‘We need a lock combination or something to get in?’

 

‘Maybe, but I’m going to try the handle first,’

 

Gladio grinned. ‘Yeah? You come up with that yourself?’

 

Ignis smiled back. He pulled the handle… and the door didn’t open.

 

‘It’s locked…’

 

‘Shit, you mean your idea didn’t work?’ Gladio teased. ‘You sure you’re doing it right?’

 

‘Gladio, it’s really locked,’

 

‘We’ll get in. There’s gotta be a key around here or-’

 

Ignis pushed the handle down and the door swung open. He couldn’t help a flush of laughter at the way Gladio’s expresion blanked.

 

‘A joke,’

 

‘You… I can’t believe you, right now,’ Gladio said, lowly. He shook his head, and the two of them grinned.

 

Happily, the documents were waiting on the director’s desk ready to be put inside Ignis’ briefcase. He noted with a twinge of irritation that they hadn’t even been sealed inside an envelope, let alone stamped and ready to mail, and he wondered if the man had any intention of shipping them at all. They were original contracts that would be signed tomorrow morning in the boardroom - but they were in hand, now. Ignis exhaled and locked the case.

 

‘That’s it. Thank you, Gladio,’

 

‘Yeah, no sweat,’

 

He sounded distracted. Ignis tidied the desk and turned to him, finding him staring at a large board tacked to the office wall. A map of the city was spread over it, stuck with green pins representing the buildings the Caelum family had a stake in. Gladio was outright gawping.

 

‘This is all your guys’ stuff?’

 

‘All the marked properties, yes,’

 

‘Shit, this is pretty much all of the city?’

 

Ignis came to stand beside him. There were an awful lot of green pins, true, but he’d assumed it was a given that Insomnia was the province of the Caelums. It was the way it’d been for generations.  _ And Noctis will be responsible for carrying it forward, _ Ignis thought to himself, aware that he’d have his own small part to play.

 

‘I had no idea,’ Gladio said, quietly.

 

That surprised Ignis. Had Clarus not told him? He knew Gladio was resistant to the idea of accepting a role in the company, as per the family’s tradition, but he was still his father.  _ Though _ , Ignis realised,  _ they aren’t often spotted together _ . Perhaps their conversations were brief, perfunctory things.

 

A part of him ached to see the confusion on Gladio’s face.

 

‘Some of these are pending acquisitions. The company has experienced an upshoot of expansion in recent years,’

 

‘Thanks to Regis, right?’

 

‘He’s incredibly proactive, yes,’

 

Gladio hummed, nodding. ‘And my dad - he’s… I mean, he had a hand in this stuff too, right?’

 

‘He started as Regis’ PA,’

 

‘Shit, really?’

 

Ignis frowned. ‘You didn’t know?’

 

‘I moved outta the house when I was seventeen,’

 

It was the answer to a question he hadn’t asked, but Ignis didn’t push. Gladio stared longer before giving himself a shake and taking the briefcase once again.

 

‘Sorry, got kinda blindsided there. You done?’

 

‘I am, yes. Thank you for coming,’

 

‘You kidding? Save for that guy who almost checked you into the pole I had a great time,’

 

Ignis smiled. ‘Likewise,’

 

‘So, where next? You wanna get anything to eat? Go catch a movie? There’s something I wanted to see with Iris before she ditched me to go after school,’

 

‘Ouch.’

 

‘Right?’ Gladio rolled his eyes. ‘You up for it?’

 

‘Certainly,’ Ignis said. He didn’t ask what the film was.

 

Gladio nodded… and seemed to remember something all of a sudden. His face brightened.

 

‘Hey, you finished the new book yet?’

 

Ignis shook his head. It’d been a busy week, and he found himself with less free time than he’d have liked in the evenings.  _ Naenia _ was beside his bed. Ignis reckoned he was a third of the way through - the romance was currently dominating the plot, but he didn’t mind as much as he thought he would. Sword-fighting crime-stopping couples were tooth-rottingly sweet, after all.

 

‘Not yet, I’m afraid,’

 

Gladio looked a little disappointed.

 

‘Ah, well. It’s gotta good ending.’

  
  


* * *

 

They’d been ten minutes late due to Noctis misplacing his tie in the chaos that was his room, and now, to Ignis’ chagrin, he was indiscreetly using his phone under the table at what could possibly the the most important board meeting of the month. Ignis gave his foot a swift tap under the table. Noctis looked up,  _ caught _ , and glanced guilty at the Niflheim Group’s aging CEO when prompted.

 

‘Shall we continue to talk in circles, Regis? You and yours have the lion’s share of the city - surely our  _ meagre  _ presence won’t threaten overmuch,’

 

Iedolas was quite the weasel; wizened in body, but with an acerbic tongue and a mind that ticked like a clock. Ignis watched him, cooly. Regis steepled his fingers, flanked either side by Clarus and Cor who exchanged the briefest of looks behind his back.

 

‘The deeds for those properties have already been signed,’ Regis said.

 

‘Oh? Are you not the chairman of this particular board? Does the king not have a say in his kingdom?’

 

‘I’m no king,’  Regis raised a brow. ‘nor do I know what else to tell you. The city has the interest of many parties - things move quickly here.’

 

‘And will you deny these interested parties the same right to expand as you’ve done me?’

 

‘You haven’t been denied anything,’ Regis frowned, adjusting his weight on the seat. ‘And Insomnia is not  _ mine _ . You must understand, Iedolas, that we wouldn’t expect to purchase a property of yours if it weren’t for sale,’

 

‘Those properties are sitting empty! What good are they to you? Under  _ our  _ ownership they’d be more than empty shells, we’d put them to  _ work _ , Regis.  _ For _ Insomnia.’

 

Regis’ eyes narrowed - clearly he wasn’t moved, and seemed as suspicious as Ignis felt. Iedolas was many things, but a champion of the local economy he was not.

 

‘Be that as it may, we simply cannot turn over the western strip to you,’

 

‘Your word is final, then?’

 

‘It is.’

 

‘Very well. We’ll reconvene this meeting at a later date,’

 

‘I-’

 

‘When,’ Iedolas interrupted. Regis tensed, Noctis sank into his chair. ‘you realise that the Caelum name once meant more than a collection of dusty  _ warehouses _ .’

 

Clarus sat up. ‘Careful, Aldercapt.’

 

He sounded eerily like his son, but the voice was deeper, more mature.

 

Iedolas stood, his white-clad retinue followed suit, and performed a mocking bow.

 

‘My apologies. We’ll be in touch.’

 

They swept out of the boardroom without another word. Regis sighed and rubbed his under-eyes.

 

‘Of course you will, you old…’ he tapered off. Cor was smirking.

 

Clarus was not. ‘He means it,’

 

‘I know. This isn’t the first time he’s badgered us about this, only the first time he’s come to do it in person.  _ Why _ , I don’t know. He knew the answer he’d get,’

 

‘He meant to intimidate you,’ Clarus frowned. ‘He’s an old boy, but the Niflheim Group have a vice grip on overseas manufacturing,’

 

‘I know that, too,’

 

Noctis broke the silence that followed.

 

‘So… I think I get it? He wants to buy stuff in the city, right?’ he asked.

 

Ignis looked to Regis, who offered a small smile. ‘Right. There’s an industrial strip on the western side of the bay. Rightfully, the units there are ours, but Iedolas is right when he says they’re empty - and we’re paying for that privilege. It’s something he wants to take out of our hands,’

 

‘Kind of him,’ Cor mumbled.

 

‘But they’re yours?’

 

‘The company’s. But that’s the long and short of it, yes,’

 

‘Huh,’ Noctis nodded. Whether he truly understood or not, Ignis couldn’t say; there was only so much  _ Monopoly _ could teach a man about negotiations.

 

‘You did well,’ Regis said, but Noctis avoided his eyes. He seemed to falter, then clapped his hands together. ‘But with that, gentlemen, I think we can call it a night. Thank you all for staying behind - I have hope that tomorrow will be easier,’

 

‘You always say that and it never is,’ Cor said, standing and tucking in his chair. Regis laughed.

 

‘Noctis, I’d like a word with you. No, no - it’s nothing bad,’ he smiled.

 

Noctis unfroze, and resumed shrugging on his jacket. ‘Sure,’

 

‘Will you be alright making it home, Ignis?’

 

‘I will. Goodnight, sir,’

 

Regis nodded, and Ignis followed Cor and Clarus out of the room with a final glance over his shoulder. Noctis had his phone out again, staring, not typing. Something made him smile.

 

Outside, the sky was clear - the starfield twinkled between the tops of the buildings. Ignis shivered into his coat and mapped out the few constellations he recognised.

 

‘So, that was one for the books,’ Cor said, directing Ignis’ attention earthwards.

 

‘Regis seemed unperturbed,’ he said.

 

‘That’s his job.’

 

‘There’s more to this, then?’

 

Cor opened his mouth to reply when Clarus shot him a dark look. It was as much of an answer as any, and it made Ignis’ stomach twist itself into a knot.  _ I’m not to know?  _ He searched Cor’s eyes.

 

‘Leave it with him for the time being. The old bastard is mostly hot air,’

 

It was a less than reassuring assurance, but it was all he was going to get. Ignis nodded, Cor grimaced at him.

 

Then, Clarus’ phone startled them all. He cursed and fished it out of his jacket, frowning at the name as he set it to his ear with a gruff  _ hello? _ Cor inclined his chin and mouthed:  _ Regis? _ Clarus shook his head.

 

‘It’s that boy of mine,’

 

Cor smirked.

 

_ Gladio?  _ Ignis could just about make out his voice…

 

‘Alright.  _ Alright _ , listen, hang on,’ Clarus said, bristling with frustration. He sighed at Ignis and Cor. ‘Go on without me,’

 

They did, and Cor lead the way to the car park taking a slightly too-fast pace for Ignis to catch much of Clarus’ conversation. He heard the strain in his voice, however.

 

‘-now’s not a good time. Is everything okay? Is it Iris? Gladiolus… this is-  _ no _ , we’ve talked about-’

 

Ignis tucked his hands into his pocket and jogged a half dozen steps to catch up to Cor - who smiled knowingly at him.

 

‘Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in that family. Don’t worry,’

 

Ignis returned the smile, smally. He wasn’t certain he took Cor’s meaning. So far, he’d noticed only a superficial resemblance between the father and son, around the eyes and jaw. Cor had a different vantage point, more of Clarus, but then Ignis could claim the reverse, couldn’t he? A handful of afternoons with Gladio had taught him more about the Amicitias than years of working alongside Clarus, however.

 

Behind them, Clarus raised his voice. Just for a moment, just to say a name.

 

Ignis navigated to the same name in his phone. The urge was nameless and had bloomed from nowhere, as insistent as it was hazy.  _ Do something. _

 

_ Hope all is well? Thank you again for yesterday. We’ll most certainly have to meet again soon - and you won’t be paying for anything, Gladiolus. x  _

 

It wasn’t right; it wasn’t  _ enough _ , but Ignis couldn’t fathom what would sate the itch he felt in his fingertips. He hit send and tucked the phone away in his pocket, keeping his fingers curled tight around it as he followed Cor through the maze of empty parking spaces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TY as always for reading, and for your comments and kudos too!
> 
> sorry for the late uploads lads, literally as soon as i thought life was like levelling out it all exploded again so yknow how that is. anyway in other news please do come say hi on tunblgr at xgladiolus.tumblr.com cause nobodys ever said hi and itd be a christmas miracle


	5. Chapter 5

‘Can you imagine if your husband was like that?’

 

Ignis looked up from his accounts book.

 

‘Pardon?’

 

‘This guy had a seperate house he hid from his wife,’ Noctis didn’t take his eyes off the TV, gesturing at it with a half-eaten chocolate bar. ‘And it was full of junk,’

 

It’d become an unspoken ritual. Noctis made his way to Ignis’ building on certain Thursday evenings after his classes to commandeer the television whilst Ignis combed through the week’s finances line by line. He didn’t mind the background noise, and it meant that he knew Noctis was having at least _one_ nutritious meal that week. Besides, he was… intrigued.

 

The house was indeed full of junk. Noctis was shaking his head.

 

‘Would you divorce him? She said she might divorce him,’

 

Ignis frowned - he’d missed something, obviously.

 

‘Divorce who?’

 

‘The husband, the guy,’ Noctis pointed. The _guy_ was a well-meaning man of forty or so, looking very much like a dog that’d been told off for climbing on the furniture. Ignis cleared his throat and went back to his numbers.

 

‘I’m certain if he and his spouse can communicate, they’ll come to an amicable accord,’

 

‘That’s real romantic,’ Noctis said.

 

‘And you? Would you call for divorce?’

 

Noctis took another bite and mulled it over. He’d come straight from campus, in a black long-sleeve and jeans that Ignis hoped didn’t breach the dress code. He’d been tired when he first arrived, collapsing sideways onto the couch and only regaining himself when Ignis fetched him a snack or two. Occasionally, Ignis would glance at him to see if there was anything more serious behind his eyes… but fatigue wasn’t something he could solve in an evening.

 

‘I’d be pissed. But, I dunno? No, probably. If you get married you do it for a reason, right?’

 

‘I’d like to think so,’

 

‘Love,’ Noctis nodded. ‘Or money, I guess,’

 

Ignis glanced at him from his chair. Noctis smirked: _kidding._

 

The sky was thickening outside; a seamless shift from late afternoon to fully fledged twilight. Noctis pulled one of the pillows to his chest and set his chin on it, watching the couple sift through a mountain of refuse and pluck out buried memories with latex gloves. Ignis’ finances added up as they should, and he’d been about to ask Noctis if he’d prefer the heating on when a thud on the door almost made him throw his pen across the room.

 

‘Did you order food?’ Noctis peeked hopefully up from the cushion.

 

‘No.’

 

The knock came again.

 

‘Is that your landlady? Or someone else? Prom’s busy tonight so it can’t be him,’

 

Ignis shook his head - Prompto would never appear on his doorstep without a text first… or five. Wondering if it was indeed a custodian, Ignis stood and smoothed his sweatshirt.

 

A young lady, fifteen or so years old, blinked at him when he pulled the door open a fraction. Clearly, she recognised him.

 

‘Oh, hi!’

 

He couldn’t place a name to the face but he _knew_ he knew her, too…

 

‘Hey, budge up,’ came a far less ambiguous voice. Ignis startled - _how_ \- and directed his gaze a foot or two upwards. Gladio caught his eye between the door and beamed. ‘Hey, uh… you busy?’

 

‘No,’ Ignis said, and forgot entirely what he’d meant to ask. Gladio had been ruffled by the wind again, and was breathing a little shallowly. _Did he take the stairs?_ Ignis blinked and remembered himself, unlocking the door and holding it open. ‘No, not at all,’

 

‘Thanks, Iggy,’

 

Gladio barrelled into the apartment with an appraising eye. He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder.

 

‘Iris is here ‘cause she wouldn’t quit asking,’ he said.

 

 _Iris_. Of course. She entered more carefully, making a point to wipe her boots on the mat before passing the threshold. Ignis offered her a smile and she returned in kind, with as much warmth as her brother. Ignis was hopelessly charmed.

 

‘So, this is your place,’ Gladio said, looking around. Ignis nodded and locked the door behind him - he _knew_ he ought to have swept earlier in the day, but there was never usually much point doing it before one of Noctis’ visits.

 

‘It is,’

 

‘Smaller than I thought it’d be,’ he winked.

 

Ignis tilted his head. ‘Homely is the word, I believe,’

 

‘I’m pullin’ your leg. It’s nice,’

 

‘And it’s _warm_ ,’ Iris said through a shiver, shrugging off her coat to fold it neatly across her arms. She grinned when Ignis offered to hang it up for her, then rolled her eyes when Gladio stepped in to _take care of it_ as well as his own. Ignis let him, and turned on the central heating. Then, he saw Noctis.

 

He was sat bolt straight on the sofa, watching with a look on his face like this was all terribly surreal. Ignis could understand.

 

However, he couldn’t have said what passed between Noctis and Gladio in the next moment, only that something most definitely _did_ . Noct was rather more of a _heart on the sleeve_ sort of person than he’d ever admit. He was smirking. Gladio was not, and lifted his chin as he met the stare across the back of the sofa.

 

‘You realise you got a mansion of your own you can lie around in, right?’

 

‘It’s not a mansion,’ Noctis replied, dryly. He was right, of course - the Caelum family home was more a manor, but Ignis didn’t voice the distinction. ‘You realise you’re supposed to let people know before you come stomping into their house?’

 

‘Yeah, well,’ Gladio winced, looking to Ignis with an apology in his eyes. ‘We’re crashing. Sorry about that. Great idea at the time, y’know? Didn’t realise you had company.’

 

‘It’s alright,’ Ignis said, but it didn’t salve the concern. Something was missing, an _I’m glad to see you_ or a brief touch...

 

‘We’re gonna take care of the food. And by we I mean _me_ ,’ Gladio said, laughing and dodging aside when Iris swatted at him as she went by, drawn to a table Ignis kept beside the wall that divided the living room from the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. ‘Wanna order in?’

 

‘Oh, dude. Yes,’

 

Ignis looked darkly at Noctis. ‘You told me you wanted me to cook for you,’

 

‘Yeah, but getting takeout is way easier for four people. And quicker.’ Noctis pulled the pillow back to his chest.

 

‘It isn’t at all quicker or easier. Besides, it’d be a waste of money to buy things when there’s plenty in that needs using.’

 

‘Iggy’s the boss,’ Gladio said, holding up his hands.

 

Noctis rolled his eyes. ‘Iris, you got me, right?’

 

They looked to her when she didn’t answer, and when Iris turned and saw three curious faces pointed at her, she laughed a little. She’d been looking at Ignis’ old photo album full of vintage postcards. It wasn’t a hobby, he didn’t collect them, but it’d been a memento of a faraway seaside and a secondhand shop that had sand on the floor and chimes in the doorway. It was the only time Ignis had stumbled on such a find, and he’d wrestled with the idea of purchasing the album. The old postcards had been precious, once, and Ignis had given in to a romantic material impulse.

 

‘Oh, sorry! I was kinda snooping, wasn’t I?’ Iris said, sheepishly, tucking her hands behind her back. ‘They’re really cute - I’ve never seen ones in a book like this,’

 

‘They were meant to be read. Have a look,’

 

‘Are you sure?’

 

‘Certainly,’ Ignis had to smile. It hit him, then, why he’d recognised Iris at the door without having met her before - it was the eyes. She had the same banded honey-brown pair as Gladio. Ignis watched her gingerly take the bound book to the sofa where she scrambled next to Noctis.

 

He glanced at the postcards over her shoulder, quietly. Ignis rubbed at his collarbone and let out a sigh that was heavier than he’d expected it to be. Gladio came to him, then, and touched his elbow.

 

He didn’t need to voice the question, now.

 

Ignis shook his head, fondly. Gladio relaxed a fraction.

 

‘Are you gonna like, sit down ever, Gladio?’ Noctis squinted across the back of the couch.

 

Gladio let out a bark of laughter. It was different to how he’d laughed with Ignis, who suspected that the neighbours were all just flung from their seats.

 

‘I dunno. Are you gonna make room?’

 

‘I dunno. Did you dress yourself today?’

 

Gladio balked and looked down. He wore a t-shirt; black and plain, inappropriate for the time of year, and, if Ignis was quite honest, a _touch_ too tight.

 

‘This is a good look!’ he chimed, tugging on the bottom hem. A swathe of ink and a collarbone peeked out from the neckline as he did, and Ignis looked quickly away.

 

‘You should’ve seen what he tried on first,’ Iris said, not looking from the album.

 

Noctis raised a brow, smirking. ‘Spill.’

 

Gladio pretended to think before bolting Noctis to the spot with a glower. ‘Uh. _No._ Whatever, make room or I’ll just sit on you,’

 

‘Don’t think there’d be enough room even without us on here, big guy,’

 

Gladio squeezed Ignis’ elbow as he laughed. Something shot through him, pooling dangerously low. Ignis opened his mouth… but realised he had nothing to say.

 

_Good lord._

 

‘I’m going to make something quick for the four of us,’ he declared.

 

Iris and Gladio said a synchronised _thank you_ , and bumped fists as Gladio took a seat between her and Noctis, who nodded and prodded an elbow in his side.

 

‘Quick for Ignis is like half an hour, so you may as well quit flexing for like two seconds and get your ass kicked in King’s Knight again. I gotta keep my streak for the week or I’m gonna lose gems,’

 

‘I’m actually gonna kick _your_ ass, then watch you explain to Prompto what happened,’

 

‘He’d avenge me, man,’

 

‘Uh huh.’

 

Noctis smiled, strangely. He nodded in Ignis’ direction but his eyes were fixed on Gladio.

 

‘Hey, shut up-’

 

‘I didn’t say anything!’

 

‘I’m sayin’ that to your brain.’

 

‘Oh, yeah. Lemme turn it off,’ Noctis pretended to push a button on his temple.

 

‘Yeah? Remember to turn it on again - no one else is gonna notice if you don’t, but y’know.’

 

It was the most people Ignis had ever seen on his couch - it was the most people he’d ever seen in his apartment, full stop, and he paused for a moment to watch Gladio and Noctis bicker. Iris was laughing to herself, dusting her fingertips over the laminated album pages with reverence. Gladio had an arm across the back of the sofa, Noctis was balled in the corner, and after another curt _jibe_ he clucked and reminded Gladio how to join on online game on that mobile phone app they played together.

 

Ignis couldn’t recall walking into the kitchen. He seemed to blink and be there, holding onto the counter, pressing his hand flat to the cool imitation marble.

 

He closed his eyes as things quietened. It could’ve been any day after work; alone, wondering what to make with what he had and what he’d need to get on tomorrow’s commute home. He could feel the rise and fall of his chest, he could feel the change in the air - the heating hadn’t crept into the kitchen, yet.

 

Noctis squawked about something in the living room and brought him stumbling back to his senses.

 

He adjusted his glasses and switched on the hob, letting muscle memory take him again. He pawed through the cupboards and picked out the ingredients that jumped out at him, the knives and plates, and cleared a space on the counter.

 

Just as he was wondering what he might get away with serving alongside (or inside, if he could disguise it well enough) Noctis’ meal, he saw the light shift in the corner of his eye.

 

‘Iggy?’

 

Gladio looked rather coy as he closed the kitchen door behind him - and Ignis suspected it wasn’t entirely due to a smug looking Noctis scrolling through a victory screen on his phone. Ignis opened the fridge and plucked out the brocoli.

 

‘Is everything alright?’ he asked.

 

Gladio nodded, confused for a moment. ‘I… yeah. I wanted to say sorry,’

 

Ignis adjusted the temperature on the stove, then took the kettle to the tap to fill it. ‘Sorry?’

 

‘Yeah,’ Gladio said, looking around the kitchen in the same way he had the living room. ‘For turning up outta the blue tonight. I tried callin’, but…’

 

Ignis set the kettle on its base and stared at him. His phone had died an hour ago after being used as a sat-nav during a brief trip, on Noctis’ suggestion, to a _really sweet_ candy shop tucked away on the far side of the city. Gladio came to stand next to him. Their arms were almost touching.

 

‘It’s no trouble, Gladio,’

 

‘You sure? We can pull out if you want,’

 

_I… what?_

 

Gladio winced. ‘I mean-’ he started… and blushed. Ignis had to look away again when another surge of rising heat threatened. ‘You let me know if we’re in the way, yeah?’

 

‘I promise. You’re not in the way,’

 

Ignis gave him a smile, then reached to fetch a larger pan from the overhead cupboards. He pulled one free after a moment of tussling with a dozen interlocked handles, but noted that the silence had grown thick…

 

‘Ignis?’

 

Gladio was leaning on the counter, and when Ignis met his eyes he found his stare was level and contrite. Ignis lost himself for a moment - again, the living room might have been empty, he might have been making a meal for the two of them to share…

 

 _Only I’d hope he wouldn’t look so worried if that were the case_.

 

‘Yes?’

 

Gladio reached to touch his elbow again. The match lit; Ignis felt it from his fingertips to the very core of his stomach.

 

‘You sure you’re sure?’

 

Ignis had to smile.

 

‘You’re going to stay and eat,’ he said, then cleared his throat when his voice caught. ‘and help entertain Noctis.’

 

Gladio bowed his head, laughing. ‘I can do the first thing no problem,’

 

‘And the second?’

 

‘For you? I’ll try my best,’ he said.

 

The touch between them, the sound of Gladio’s voice, the knowledge that there was only a half dozen inches between them… Ignis hummed and filled the pan with boiled water from the kettle.

 

‘Please don’t feel as though you have to stand around here if you’d rather sit,’

 

‘No way. If I’m staying, I’m helping,’

 

‘I’d be a poor host if I demanded my guests prepare their own food,’

 

‘’We’re shitty guests for crashing your party, and you aren’t demanding anything. I’m offering,’

 

Ignis had no argument to that. Gladio bridged what little gap there was between them and set a hand to the small of Ignis’ back, bowing to speak into his ear.

 

‘What d’you need me to do?’

 

 _What indeed_. The water was boiling on the stove but Ignis couldn’t look away. Gladio smelled like the outdoors and the cologne he wore more often than not; dark and heady, crisp with the scent of fresh air unbeaten by the sun. His skin looked soft, his eyelashes cast a butterfly shadow on his cheeks, and Ignis lowered his eyes only to be reminded of the t-shirt and the too-tightness of it.

 

‘I…’

 

It was burning him up.

 

A falter; Gladio’s smile almost withered, but Ignis shook his head and offered a smile through the haze that’d swallowed him. Gladio kept his hand where it was, but his eyes flickered downwards. Ignis’ heart thumped in his chest, and on an impulse as sweet and warm as anything he’d ever felt, he looked at Gladio’s lips, too.

 

Something in the living room fell with a _thump_ . Noctis called out _sorry_ a moment later.

 

Gladio growled and pulled back. Ignis exhaled.

 

‘Gladio, can you heat some olive oil in that pan,’

 

‘This one? Before or after I strangle the kid?’

 

Ignis laughed and set a hand on his chest, breathless.

  


* * *

 

The _thump_ turned out to be the sound of Ignis’ hard-backed finance book falling off the coffee table, but besides a few bent page corners it was largely intact. Iris accepted her plate of chicken, broccoli, and brown rice stir-fry with a grateful grin, Ignis took his usual seat with his own, and watched Gladio hold Noctis’ serving over his head for a minute whilst he bid him _say sorry to Iggy for messing up his house._ Noctis reminded Gladio that it wasn’t a house, it was an apartment, but retracted the statement when Gladio shrugged and announced he’d simply have both plates of stir-fry himself.

 

Happily, Ignis’ guests seemed to enjoy their food. Gladio and Iris cleared their plates, and helped themselves to Noctis’ leftovers, too. They spoke about their various work and studies, about Prompto’s photographs and worryingly busy schedule, as well as their plans for the looming weekend. As it was, nobody was doing much of anything.

 

Gladio’s arm was draped along the back of the couch again, and he was lounging like he lived there, like it was the seat he took each night. Ignis was content to watch and reassure Noctis that Prompto would, in fact, reply to his texts before the day was done.

 

Noctis gave Gladio another odd little look when he smirked. Iris laughed, Noctis did, too, and Gladio huffed and seemed to close up.

 

They watched the last half of a ten-year old film together (Ignis had forgotten that _ten years_ didn’t mean the eighties so much as the naughties, and was almost at peace with the inescapable entropy of time when Iris commented _wow, this is how people use to talk back then?_ ), and Noctis suggested they round off the night by finding out if the _guy_ with the house of junk got divorced in the end, but Iris was yawning, and it was a school night.

 

‘Aren’t big brothers supposed to be fun and let you stay out late?’

 

‘Yeah? How many d’you have like that?’

 

Noctis tilted his head. ‘None, but I’m not mad about it,’

 

Iris covered her laughter with a delicate hand. Gladio rolled his eyes.

 

‘I’m gonna call a cab and walk you down, gimme a sec,’ he said to Iris. She nodded, looked meekly to Noctis, who took his cue after a brief glance at Ignis.

 

‘I… uh, I can do that. C’mon,’ he said, pushing off from the couch and pulling his phone from his pocket.

 

‘Oh, sure!’ Iris beamed. Gladio gave her a fond smile, and he and Ignis stood and watched them pull on their coats; Noctis’ was a thick black garment his father had no doubt purchased for him, and Iris’ was fluffier, still black, but with a handsome strip of marbled faux-fur around the hood. She linked her arm with Noctis’ before giving Ignis a little bow. ‘I had a really nice time - you’ll have to come round to ours next!’

 

 _Ours?_ From the distinctly unthrilled look on Gladio’s face, Ignis assumed she meant to Amicitia family home. Clarus’ home.

 

‘Yeah, I’ll let _you_ ask dad about that.’

 

Iris just laughed. ‘See you, Ignis!’

 

‘Goodnight, Iris,’

 

‘Wait for me at the bottom, alright?’ Gladio asked, and watched his sister go with a blend of apprehension and sweetness that Ignis had very much come to associate with him. Noctis closed the door behind him, and some of the static energy slipped out, too. Ignis sighed and rubbed at his jaw - a part of him wanted to fall into bed without setting an alarm for the morning, but another part was coiled tight. He wanted to go for a walk, he wanted to…

 

‘So,’ Gladio started.

 

One thought joined hands with another.

 

 _With Gladio. A walk outside beside the river, with him._ That’s what he wanted.

 

‘Mmm?’

 

‘You finished the book yet?’

 

Ignis raised a brow, wryly. Gladio was asking him the same every day, now.

 

‘No, not yet.’

 

Gladio let out an exaggerated sigh. ‘You’re killin’ me,’

 

Ignis noted the empty glasses, stacked plates, and stray pieces of litter dotted around the living room. They’d have to wait. He looked back to Gladio and tried to piece together where this impatience stemmed from - true, he had less time to read these days than he’d have liked, but he prefered to take his time with novels anyway if given the chance. To rush was to stumble, or else miss an important kernel of context…

 

‘And why’s that? You’re eager to talk about it?’ he asked.

 

Gladio laughed, and caught Ignis gently by the wrist as he made to go and fetch their coats from the back of the door. It happened quickly… and remarkably easily. Gladio made a low noise, then pulled Ignis into a bracing hug.

 

He hardly dared to breathe for fear he might _wake up_ and somehow be in his chair, alone.

 

Gladio hummed. His arms were tight around Ignis’ middle, and after a moment to assure himself that this was real and right and the very boiled down _essence_ of what he’d wanted, Ignis gingerly set his arms around Gladio’s neck, leaning deeper into the embrace. Gladio whispered to him. Ignis didn’t catch it - his heart was too loud in his ear.

 

For a 6’5” man made of muscle and ink, all sharp cheekbones and jawline, Gladio was incredibly soft. He pushed a hand over the curve of Ignis’ hip and back again.

 

‘Yeah,’ Gladio went on, barely loud enough for Ignis to hear. ‘I wanna talk about it.’

 

Ignis had just closed his eyes when Gladio pulled back. He smiled, a little hazily, and Gladio returned it, keeping a hand where it fit at the base of his spine.

 

‘C’mon, slowpoke.’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again and welcome to chopped
> 
> this chapter was so much fun to write... i love hugs, i love ""accidental"" touches, i love gladio flexing in t-shirts..... kisses fingers like an italian chef
> 
> as always, thank you so so much for reading - and for your comments and kudos, too! extra SUPER SPECIAL thank you to everyone who came and said [hello on tumblr, ](xgladiolus.tumblr.com) im always looking for more ffxv people to follow and talk to about this stuff so do not be shy!
> 
> [i dusted off my ko-fi just now - tysm if you go check it out! ](Ko-fi.com/xgladiolus)
> 
> EDIT: does anyone know how to do links in this thing cause i ,, apparently,, am an idiot moron


	6. Chapter 6

**** The coffee had spoiled and gone cold.  _ Today of all days, too _ , Ignis thought to himself as he nursed his cup between his hands. He flicked his thumbs over the rim and tried to digest everything he’d heard… but it wouldn’t settle, circling like water around a blocked drain and making his head spin.

 

‘So, there we are.’ Regis said.

 

‘I see.’ Ignis murmured, and looked across the boardroom table to where Regis was sat half-slumped in his chair. He looked awfully like Noctis. ‘This is alarming, but why share it with-’

 

‘With you? Because, irrespective of whether you agree or not, you  _ are _ an important part of my team,’

 

Ignis frowned. He wasn’t, not really; he’d been born into the business as it were, and what had started as a work experience trial arranged by his uncle had amorphously transitioned into a fulltime job. Cor and Clarus were the real weight in Regis’ team. Ignis had  _ manager _ in his job title, certainly, but it’d been  _ assistant _ until recently.

 

‘I’ll help however I can.’

 

‘I know you will, hence what I just said,’ Regis smirked, but it tapered off into a sigh. ‘I can’t seem to crack this.  _ Him _ , I should say.’

 

‘You believe he’s being truthful, then?’

 

Regis nodded. They’d flipped on the overhead lights seeing as the sun hadn’t had the grace to wake with them. Now, however, the first of the morning’s light was inching up the side of the buildings outside, and the mix of fluorescence and natural sunlight made Ignis’ head ache even more.

 

‘I do. He wants those warehouses, and if it was a suggestion that we part with them before, it’s now become a veiled threat. I wouldn’t be surprised if we received a ransom note next, cut out letters and all,’ he added, mumbling.

 

Admittedly, Ignis could see that happening.

 

‘What’s our next step?’

 

‘Well, we find the warehouse deeds for starters.’

 

‘We don’t have them?’

 

Regis winced. ‘No. Or well,’ he sighed, propping his elbows on the table. ‘It’s one of those things. They’re so safe that we can’t find them anymore.’

 

‘Ah.’

 

‘You can say it. Lost is lost.’

 

Ignis rubbed at his jaw and said nothing at all. The morning was shaping up to be distinctly  _ dull _ , despite the weather outside - brisk and bright, as though the winter was trying to remember what spring felt like. Learning that Iedolas was about ready to make a move on Caelum properties was bad enough, and hearing it at half-seven in the morning, uncaffeinated, was markedly worse.

 

It’d do no good to linger on it, Ignis knew - like pressing a finger to a bruise.

 

‘So, we don’t have them. Are we certain Iedolas doesn’t?’

 

‘Oh, we’re certain. He’d let us know in no uncertain terms if he had them. The man wouldn’t value underhandedness over an opportunity to gloat,’

 

‘In our vault then, perhaps? With the bank.’

 

Regis frowned. ‘They certainly could be, but paperwork… we tend to keep it here. Accessible.’ he said, and held up a hand when Ignis made to suggest other alternatives. ‘Let me deal with this mess, Ignis. It’s my fault. You’re busy enough,’

 

‘Even so, sir. I can help.’

 

Regis considered him across the table. His smile changed.

 

‘There’s one thing I’d ask of you.’

 

‘Of course,’

 

‘Keep an eye on Noctis. I know you already do - I know it’s already a lot to ask, but…’ he sighed and shrugged. ‘Iedolas has made this personal. Uncomfortably so.’

 

_ Noctis? _ Ignis pushed back a  _ twitch  _ of alarm to nod. Some companies, some people, took business more seriously than others, and Iedolas was nothing if not serious.  _ Seriously deluded _ , Ignis thought to himself, but remembered what he’d said at the previous meeting about the Caelum name once meaning more…

 

_ Good grief _ . Ignis sighed; this was real, wasn’t it?

 

‘Clarus will be telling his boy the same thing, so you’ll have support there if you need it.’

 

‘Gladiolus? I… yes,’

 

Regis smiled. ‘Coming around, slowly. You two have hit it off?’

 

It wasn’t so much the question as its  _ origin _ that puzzled Ignis. Who’d have told Regis about his and Gladio’s  _ hitting it off _ ? Certainly not Gladio himself, and he hardly seemed close to his father. Likewise, Ignis’ conversations with Clarus were polite enough, but always work related, and always brief. He supposed Iris might have mentioned something in passing… but Ignis shifted, uncomfortably. It had to be Clarus.

 

_ Is he watching us? _

 

The thought made him irrationally anxious. He adjusted his glasses and tried to think of a tactful way to say  _ yes, professionally. _ But even that sat wrong with him.

 

Gladio was a friend. He was…

 

‘A good team, I mean.’ Regis said. Ignis met his eyes and realised he’d been faraway. ‘Well, that’s handy for me. I was afraid we’d have to introduce the two of you - it’s easier when these things happen naturally. He’s a good boy,’

 

‘He… yes, he is,’

 

Regis considered it before sitting back in his chair. ‘I won’t keep you. Noctis will be eager to get to campus.’

 

Ignis doubted that. He nodded all the same, however, and tucked his chair beneath the table as he stood.

 

‘Of course. Thank you, Regis.’

 

Regis left him with another all-too-knowing smirk, but as soon as Ignis passed out of the boardroom and shut the door, he saw Regis heave a sigh and press the heels of his palms to his eyes.

 

Ignis paused… but didn’t have time to linger. He went quickly to the elevators and found Noctis on the ground floor cafeteria on a table by himself - and a can of coke. Putting aside an urge to chide him (it wasn’t even yet eight in the morning), Ignis tapped him on the shoulder and gestured to the building’s lobby.

 

‘Are you ready to leave?’

 

‘Uh… yeah,’ Noctis said, and finished typing on his phone. He looked to Ignis then with an expression he knew well.

 

‘What is it?’ Ignis sighed.

 

‘D’you think we can pick Prompto up on the way?’

 

‘His classes aren’t until the afternoon,’

 

‘Yeah, but he needs to use the darkroom,’ Noctis said. ‘He’s all ready to go, so we’d just need to pull up outside,’

 

Ignis checked his watch with a frown - they’d be cutting it close as it was, and Prompto lived in the opposite direction to the campus, which was itself a ways further in the city. And, of course, it was rush hour.

 

A hundred things came at him at once, dizzying him horribly for a moment.

 

‘Ignis?’

 

First things first. Ignis smoothed down his coat and curled his hand around the car keys in his pocket.

 

‘Tell Prompto we’ll be there shortly,’

 

* * *

 

Ignis ended up collecting Prompto  _ from _ campus, too. If truth be told, he’d sooner have spent the evening alone - a long bath, something warm to eat, and an hour or so to read before an early bedtime. As it was, he settled in his chair with  _ Naenia’s  _ final few pages, reading them in parts and pieces whilst Noctis and Prompto talked over a movie.

 

He’d caved and ordered food for them - the pizza smell would take a day and a half to air out, but after he’d suggested a half dozen meals to Noctis and got nothing but a  _ face _ in response to all of them, Ignis decided it wasn’t worth the hassle.

 

‘- _ so _ not! Dude, we’re gonna have to watch the first one again so you realise how wrong you are,’

 

‘Yeah? Maybe we should. You do this all the time, Prom,’

 

‘What?!’

 

‘Get nostalgic for stuff that doesn’t, like… warrant it,’

 

Prompto nearly upended a pizza box that’d become a graveyard for crusts. He blanched, caught Ignis’ eye over the rim of the book, and mouthed an apology.

 

There were three pages left.

 

Ignis knew he should have left them until he’d chased Noctis and Prompto out the apartment, but he was so close… and really, he couldn’t fake a passing interest in sci-fi alien romcom dramedies (he couldn’t believe they were real, either).  _ Naenia’s _ war-scared protagonist had finally made it back to her village of origin after a final, and admittedly epic, battle saw her separated from her love interest and general. Ignis had somehow gotten tangled up in the romance, and had to stop himself from skipping ahead to see if the general would be waiting for her.

 

_ He has to be, surely. They promised to meet again. _

 

‘Name one time that’s happened. I  _ dare _ you.’

 

‘Uh?’ Noctis laughed. ‘With those games for the Commodore we got online last year? You were saying how good they were and then we played them for an hour.’

 

‘That was an isolated incident!’ Prompto whacked him with a pillow. Ignis looked up again. ‘Oh my god. You’re getting me in trouble!’

 

‘If you wanna watch the first one let’s do it on the weekend. I’m not wasting a school night on it,’

 

‘School night. Are you ten, dude?’

 

‘I do have a curfew.’

 

Prompto burst out laughing. Ignis turned the page, and the hero opened the door to her abandoned family home where she’d seen a light inside through the broken window…

 

‘Dude. Oh my god. What else has he been in?’

 

‘Who?’

 

‘Him, there! Y’know? What else has he been in? I’ve seen his face before for sure,’

 

‘He’s an actor, so yeah,’

 

‘No! I mean he’s been in something else  _ lately _ , c’mon, what was it?’

 

‘Let me just access the internet on my brain,’

 

‘Man, you’re so sarcastic,’

 

‘Uh huh.’

 

‘Like Gladio,’

 

Noctis scoffed.

 

Ignis adjusted his weight in the chair and tried to distance himself from the conversation. He slowed his reading speed until he saw the shape of each letter in each word, and let out a breath when his odd little hope was realised. The protagonist,  _ Naenia _ herself, found her general waiting for her under the boughs of the last standing willow tree in the village.

 

The two of them walked through the settled ashes, a far cry from the clamour of the battlefield where their love had blossomed, and kissed…

 

It was all rather  _ tidy _ , but Ignis didn’t begrudge the author their agency or the characters their happiness, twee as it was. A brief epilogue from the humbled antagonists perspective left the plot open for future installments, and Ignis flipped to the back page in case there was anything else to read. There wasn’t, but he noticed an odd lump underneath the dust jacket.

 

‘-I told you! You really doubt me sometimes y’know that?’

 

‘Prom-’

 

‘Kidding!’ Prompto beamed. ‘ I  _ am _ human IMDB though, so remember that,’

 

‘Yeah, a human IMDB that takes like ten minutes to think of anything,’

 

‘Ouch!’

 

Would it be considered prying if he looked? This  _ was _ Gladio’s personal copy, and though it wasn’t dogeared enough to suggest that it was a favourite, the spine still bent easily - it’d known a few rereads in its time and would undoubtedly know more in time. Ignis hesitated.  _ I can always put it back, whatever it is.  _ Most likely it’d be a receipt.

 

Ignis lifted the jacket. A scrap of paper fell out and he caught it in his palm, noted that it was folded, and that something was tucked inside.  _ Odd _ .

 

Odder still, it had his name on it.

 

Ignis looked around as though anyone could explain… or else chide him for snooping. Noctis was chewing on a pizza crust, Prompto was glued to the television screen, gasping softly each time the  _ guy _ dodged a punch thrown at him during a ridiculous fight scene. Ignis seized the modicum of privacy.

 

He teased a corner of the paper away, and had to move quickly to catch a small silvery  _ thing _ when it slipped out. Ignis draped it across his fingers - a chain. And a fine one, too; delicately made and precious. Ignis’ heart thumped.

 

Unfurling the paper revealed a note.

 

_ Iggy. _

_ Hope you like it. _

_ The book  _ and  _ the chain… but I won’t mind if you like the chain more. _

_ Let me know? _

_ G _

 

Ignis closed  _ Naenia _ .

 

‘Excuse me a moment.’

 

Prompto smiled at him, Noctis barely reacted, and Ignis went quickly to the bathroom and locked the door behind him.

 

He couldn’t hold it back once he was alone. He covered his mouth to no avail - the smile caught him up like a wave, shivering through him, stoking an odd adrenaline-feeling  _ hum _ beneath his skin. Rational thought abandoned Ignis and left him with honeyed  _ whys  _ and  _ whens _ and a more base fondness that made him smile even more when he tried to decipher it.

 

Ignis passed the chain through his fingers. It’d be discreet enough not to draw the eye at work,  _ lovely _ , and the note… Ignis read it again as carefully as he had the last lines of  _ Naenia _ .

 

He was calling Gladio before he knew it, leaning on the rim of the sink and smiling at his feet.

 

Gladio answered. Ignis closed his eyes.

 

‘Hey, what’s up? Everything okay?’

 

‘Gladio, how are you?’

 

‘I’m good, yeah. You?’

 

‘Is this a bad time?’

 

Gladio laughed perilously close to Ignis’ ear. ‘Iris is gonna be round in a sec but it’s fine. How about you? You good?’

 

‘I… I’m calling to say thank you, actually,’

 

‘No problem.’ a pause. ‘What for?’

 

Ignis lowered his voice. ‘I finished the book.’

 

‘Yeah? You liked it?’ Gladio asked, and sounded like he was shifting on whatever he was sitting on.  _ Or laying across _ , Ignis thought to himself, recalling the pictures Gladio would send at this time in the evening. The man liked to  _ lounge _ .

 

‘I did. I do, very much,’

 

‘Oh. I…’ he laughed again. ‘Yeah, shit. Well, hey, I’m really glad,’

 

‘Gladio, when did you get this?’

 

After all, he’d given  _ Naenia _ to him early in their relationship.

 

_ Friendship _ . Ignis corrected with a flush.

 

‘That’s between me, myself and I, Iggy.’ Gladio said. ‘And, uh, embarrassing,’

 

‘I’ll curtail my curiosity, then,’

 

‘Not all of it. We should get together soon, we haven’t hung out in a while,’

 

‘Soon,’ Ignis agreed. ‘Yes.’

 

‘Good. I miss you,’

 

‘I… do,’ Ignis stammered, then laughed despite himself when Gladio made a surprised little noise on the other end of the line. ‘Who’s embarrassed now? I mean I do, too. Miss you.’

 

‘We gotta fix that.’

 

Ignis mentally leafed through his schedule. ‘Tuesday after work?’

 

‘You got it. Alright, I gotta go or else I’m gonna get a million questions when Iris gets here. You take it easy, alright? Text me later,’

 

‘You too, Gladio,’

 

‘Night,’

 

Ignis stayed on the line for a moment even after Gladio hung up. He pressed his phone to his lip, then, trying to quash another smile when it threatened. This was ridiculous, it was… thoughtful and surprising, and exactly what he needed, somehow.

 

A knock on the door startled him out of his bubble. Ignis gently slipped the chain into his pocket and unhooked the latch, opening the door a fraction. Prompto blinked out at him with a secret smile.

 

‘Everything alright?’ he whispered.

 

Ignis felt inordinately fond of him, then. He nodded, and let himself return the smile… and Prompto’s ignited to a full blown  _ grin. _

 

‘It is.’

 

‘Is it G-’

 

Ignis quietened him with a  nod, at a loss of what else to do. Prompto inhaled sharply, excitedly.

 

‘Tell me later?’

 

‘Fine.’ Ignis said.

 

He met Prompto’s eyes again, and bowed his head to laugh under his breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> getting into the real feelings now lads
> 
> thank you for reading as always, and for your kudos and comments - getting the notifications at work honestly make me so happy so TYSM! [here's my tumblr](http://xgladiolus.tumblr.com) and please dont be shy i am literally always ready to talk about gladio
> 
> i also have a [kofi page](https://ko-fi.com/xgladiolus) though i do prefer tea


	7. Chapter 7

**** The weekend came slowly then all at once, and Ignis managed to coax Noctis out of his apartment with the promise of a chauffeur service wherever he liked - and, naturally, a meal. They picked up a very excited Prompto on the way, and between the two of them they decided the thing they wanted to do most on the first clear and relatively pleasant day of the season so far was to sit inside a cinema for two hours.

 

Resigned almost entirely, Ignis refused to drive them a half hour out of town to the massive complex in the retail park, and instead carted them to the smaller theatre on Insomnia’s high street, wedged between a multi-storey department store and a jewelry shop with a guard on the door.

 

Activity chosen, venue chosen - the last piece of the puzzle was  _ which _ film exactly they wanted to watch. It’d been twenty minutes so far.

 

‘-okay, but if we see that one now, what are we gonna watch on Tuesday?’

 

‘Oh, true. I dunno. I mean, we could always watch it again?’

 

‘No! C’mon, we gotta see something else. Let’s save the good thing for our day off,’

 

‘So you wanna watch something shitty now? Got it. That,’

 

Prompto paused a moment. ‘Dude, I am not watching anything with a poster like that,’

 

‘It’s a horror,’

 

‘I know, and I’m not watching it!’

 

Ignis had pulled up one of the flimsy plastic seats at a table beside the window, and a brisk  _ tap _ on it startled him out of his stupor - he wasn’t exactly in the mood for a horror, either… He turned to see Gladio on the street outside, looking likewise as surprised as Ignis felt. The crowds on the cobbles were dense today even given the early hour. Their eyes met. Gladio smiled, and then was moving to the door and heading inside. Ignis sat up.

 

‘Hey,’ Gladio started, poised with a question on his face and a smile that drew Ignis to his feet. ‘What are you-’

 

‘Gladio?’

 

Noctis ambled over - a third piece of their trifecta of confusion. Gladio glanced across his shoulder before looking back to Ignis. He nodded, another question, and it took Ignis a moment to understand. He’d seen the chain.

 

Ignis set a hand to it.

 

‘What’s going on?’ Noctis asked, coming to stand with them.

 

‘Nice to see you, too,’ Gladio groused. He seemed to be making as much of the winter sun as anyone could, dressed for the gym, Ignis guessed. A light jacket with a faux fur lining around the hood - he looked wonderfully cosy. The thought tapered off, travelling through him with a warm touch… and Ignis rooted himself back to the present. ‘Kinda early for you to be awake, ain’t it?’

 

‘Yeah, well. Anyway, seriously, what are you doing here?’

 

‘I came to see why Ignis was sittin’ around in a movie theatre at ten in the morning on a Saturday,’ Gladio raised a brow. ‘Shoulda figured you’d be involved.’

 

‘I had other suggestions,’ Ignis said, finding his voice at last. It sounded thin to him, but Gladio looked back with a smile that was anything but.

 

‘So, you’re off today?’

 

‘It’s a Saturday. I don’t typically work those, no,’

 

‘Save for your babysitting gig, huh?’ he jabbed a thumb at Noctis, who made a face.

 

‘Whatever,’ he said. ‘Are you watching something with us or not?’

 

‘Depends. What are you seeing?’

 

Noctis blanked. ‘Uh…’

 

Happily, Prompto was trotting to the rescue. He beamed at Gladio, and looked far too conspiratorially between him and Ignis. It all seemed a hair’s breadth from disaster - a word too many, a too-probing question…  _ or I might keel over _ , Ignis thought to himself, trying to catch Prompto’s eye. He felt as though he hadn’t taken a breath since Gladio walked in.

 

‘We’ll get back to you on that, big guy,’ Prompto said. Ignis bit back a sigh of relief, and then Noctis was being carted away back to the scrolling screen of movie times and a wall of posters. Ignis watched them go until Gladio came closer and touched his arm.

 

And kept touching. He left his hand on Ignis’ bicep and lowered his voice.

 

‘So, I dunno if I can hang around now, but I’ll see you tonight, right?’

 

Ignis frowned. ‘Tonight?’ he asked, wondering with a new and horrible lurch if he’d forgotten something they’d planned in advance. He’d fallen behind a day or two on his scheduling what with things growing so hectic at work. Mentally, he flipped through his diary, trying to remember each of the pencil scribblings. He and Gladio spoke almost every night on the phone… perhaps he’d missed a hint, being too tired, or-

 

‘You said you were off today. I’m taking you to dinner,’

 

_ Oh. _ Ignis didn’t think his heart could take much more. Still, he allowed himself a tapered smile. ‘Are we?’

 

‘I’m paying,’

 

‘That’s not what I meant,’

 

Gladio gave his arm a squeeze. ‘No, but I’m still gonna. Looks like you’re footing the bill for all this crap today, so y’know, fair’s fair.’

 

Ignis knew better than to argue the point. ‘Where did you have in mind?’

 

Gladio opened his mouth… with no answer. He hummed and ran a hand through his hair, and the light shivered it it. Honey brown in places and darker in others, impossibly thick and soft. Ignis slipped his free hand into his jacket pocket.

 

‘Uh, well. It’ll be classy, count on that,’

 

‘Classy?’

 

‘Hey, I can be fancy,’ Gladio teased.

 

Ignis laughed. ‘Suits, then?’

 

‘Would you like that?’

 

It was Ignis’ turn to fumble for words, then. Or rather ones that weren’t  _ God, yes. _ It was far too much to picture in broad daylight with the man himself stood in front of him, waiting, patiently, with a smile that twinkled in his eyes, too.

 

‘Whatever you’re comfortable in, Gladio.’

 

Gladio’s hand slipped from his arm to his wrist. ‘Then it’s a date,’

 

He said it so casually. Something swelled in Ignis’ chest, and he could read the hesitation on Gladio’s face.  _ Finish the sentence _ , he almost seemed to ask, but it was easier said than done. Gladio was ever so slightly stroking his wrist with two soft fingertips, his cologne was familiar and  _ close _ , and seemed to have all the warmth of the summer to come inside of him, beneath his jacket, his skin… Ignis’ plans tonight had revolved around a fridge half-full of leftovers and an early bedtime, maybe a phonecall. There was no question.

 

‘It is,’

 

Gladio bowed his head. His eyes must have caught on the chain again, because his smile changed and softened. He gestured to it. ‘I’m glad you like it,’

 

‘It’s lovely,’ Ignis met his eyes when Gladio lifted them again. ‘Thank you, truly. I’ll have to repay you,’

 

‘It’s a gift, Iggy. That’s not the point,’

 

‘And so if I wanted to gift you something completely unrelated to your gift, would that be okay?’

 

Gladio laughed. He checked furtively over his shoulder then, but Prompto and Noctis had meandered to the popcorn counter (that they’d be buying with their own money). Gladio checked the entrance next, but they were secluded - people evidently had better things to do. Ignis had been about to ask when Gladio pulled him in gently for a hug, less bracing than the one they’d shared previously, but fuller, somehow.

 

Ignis’ breath caught when Gladio wound his arms around his waist and bowed a little, nuzzling into his neck.

 

‘You don’t gotta get me anything,’ he said softly, and Ignis felt each word over his skin.

 

The feeling denied description. It seemed to come from every part of him to knot in his chest, warm and hungry and a little afraid.  _ Was this okay? Was this what friends did? _ He’d never hugged Noctis or Prompto like this, but then again, he’d never stayed awake with them until the sun was bruising the horizon pink, laughing on the phone. ( _ “We gotta hang out more,” Gladio had said one night. “Now?” Ignis had replied. Gladio laughed, said “Yeah. It’d be better if you were here right now,” and Ignis had agreed, pulling his pillow closer to his chest _ )

 

Ignis reached gingerly on an impulse to reciprocate though he wasn’t sure how. He set an arm around Gladio’s shoulder, and with his other hand pushed into his hair, lightly. He felt Gladio’s shiver go through him and a noise he made in his throat between a sigh and a groan. Ignis felt a keening. Gladio’s hair was as plush as he’d imagined, carding through his fingers like so much silk…

 

‘Uh, guys?’

 

Ignis startled out of Gladio’s arms.

 

Noctis looked between them with a raised brow, and for a moment he seemed as though he might comment… but then gestured behind him, swallowing. Any relief was promptly scuppered when Ignis saw Prompto waiting at the concession counter with a grin that went practically from ear to ear. He gave them the thumbs up.

 

‘Noctis?’ Ignis’ voice was slightly hoarse.

 

‘We’re gonna go with the horror thing. So that rules you out, huh?’ he looked suspiciously at Gladio.

 

Who cleared his throat. ‘Yup,’ he said, drawing himself up. ‘Not gonna pay money to watch something through my fingers.’

 

‘Or, you could, y’know, watch it regularly.’

 

‘Yeah, like you do? You’re telling me you’re not gonna fall asleep ten minutes in?’

 

Noctis smirked. On another day he might have scowled but… 

 

_ Oh no. _ Ignis produced his wallet from his pocket. ‘You need my card, I take it?’

 

The line broke. Noctis looked from Gladio to nod, and Ignis glanced at him instead. But what words could follow what they’d just… well. Gladio’s hair was a little mussed as he zipped up his jacket. The feeling came again, and Ignis pushed it back - he couldn’t start demanding these things.

 

‘I’ll call you about tonight, okay?’ he said.

 

Ignis nodded. Gladio winked, and gave himself a shake as he made for the door that lead back out into the cold. As soon as it swung closed, Noctis was staring.

 

‘What’s  _ tonight _ ?’

 

‘Private.’

 

‘Are you guys going out?’ He asked, then gestured and corrected himself. ‘Like,  _ out _ out?’

 

Ignis ignored the question.

 

‘Are you going to take my card or shall I put it back again?’

 

Noctis rolled his eyes and took it.

  
  


* * *

  
  


He’d been expecting upscale dining after Gladio’s promise, but to say that the restaurant he’d chosen for the evening was  _ classy _ would be an appalling understatement. They’d met at the taxi rank just before seven, and Gladio had spent a moment fawning over him -  _ you look… damn good, Ignis _ , he’d said, and waved away any attempt on Ignis’ behalf to say the same, electing instead to lead him inside by the hand.

 

Gladio kept their fingers twined as they’d been seated and ordered a starter (that had, sadly, disappointed him -  _ that’s it? _ Gladio proclaimed, showing off a coin-sized arrangement of vegetables on a plate far larger). His grasp was firm without being too-tight, and Ignis was reduced to a useless state of what could only be described as  _ mush _ as he’d stroked a thumb back and forth over the back of his hand, going on to talk about the day he’d had - at the gym, at the the store, forgetting that he had no  _ fancy clothes _ beyond a literal suit.  _ So, yeah, I almost had to make good on that until I’d found this. _

 

_ This _ was a burgundy jumper that might have leaned towards being casual on another night. As it was, it was rather smart - fitted perfectly, a touch tight in all the right places.

 

Ignis lifted his eyes when he heard his name. Their mains had been ordered and brought to their table.

 

‘Sorry,’ he said, sheepishly. He wished he hadn’t come in grey, now; pressed trousers and shirt, the sleeves of which he’d rolled up.

 

‘Thinkin’ about work?’

 

It’d be easier to lie and say yes rather than admit he’d been lost admiring his chest.

 

Ignis shook his head. ‘You chose this place well,’

 

‘I told you I can do fancy,’

 

‘You did,’ Ignis said, fondly. ‘And I never doubted you for a moment,’

 

Gladio smiled. It occured to Ignis that he’d never seen him quite like this; detached completely from his own work and routine. They’d found ways to fit into one another’s lives thus far but tonight… it was a specially scheduled affair. A date.

 

Gladio had said it in jest, certainly. Still, he wondered if from the outside they looked like a couple.

 

‘How’s yours?’

 

Ignis blinked. Gladio gestured at his plate where he was almost finished with a particularly fine cut of lamb. ‘It’s wonderful,’ Ignis said, noting that Gladio had already cleared his own meal. ‘It’s given me some ideas,’

 

‘Can I try?’

 

There were three candles in polished glass holders on the table, and the flames skipped and flickered on the wicks. The light loved Gladio’s skin.

 

Ignis tried to work out the logistics of facilitating such a thing. There was an obvious solution, mind… and, not wanting the notion to grow tepid and offend, Ignis cut a small piece and pierced it with his fork, holding it out. He’d thought Gladio would take the utensil himself, but as it was, he leaned forward and ate it directly from the fork.

 

He held Ignis’ stare all the while, and it was all Ignis  _ could _ do as Gladio chewed it over. Something sharper than affection warmed him from nape to navel.

 

‘That is good,’

 

Gladio swallowed.

 

‘It is,’

 

‘You could do better, though,’

 

_ Good grief. _ The prickling in his fingertips wasn’t easing off. Ignis bowed his head, smiling. ‘Not if my record with Noctis is anything to go by.’ He was beyond fussy, and Ignis’ hopes that he’d grow out of it were dwindling with each passing year.

 

‘Yeah, I wouldn’t worry too much about reviews from a kid that lives off crap,’ Gladio raised a brow. He reached for his wine glass then, and took a shallow sip. Ignis found himself watching instead of eating - again - and privately kicked himself, cutting another piece.

 

‘You’ve known him for a while, then?’

 

‘Not really  _ known _ him,’ Gladio said. ‘Knew  _ of _ him, sure. We didn’t start talking ‘til he got older,’

 

‘I see,’

 

‘So, lemme get this straight. You work for his dad but you’re also his PA?’

 

Ignis had to laugh. He shook his head and finished the bite. ‘No, I’m…’ he started, but upon reflection he could see how Gladio might have arrived at such a conclusion. He’d been asked to take care of Noctis - not in an official capacity, perhaps, but Regis was his superior and a man he’d come to respect. And he had a vested interest in Noctis’ health and happiness despite his own attempts to defy both at times. ‘I think guardian is closer to the mark. Not legally by any means, mind. I’m not a part of his family. It’s separate to my work in most cases,’

 

Gladio hummed. ‘Looks like I’m gonna be roped into it, too.’

 

‘Oh?’

 

‘Yeah, Dad’s been talkin’ about getting me involved. With the company, y’know,’ Gladio sounded less than enthused, and Ignis schooled the disappointment away before it could show.

 

‘Is he expecting you to join us soon?’ Ignis asked, and smiled when Gladio gestured to his plate. He cut another slice of lamb for him and let him take it across the table. The rush caught him again just as swift and just as fierce. This was… extraordinary.

 

‘Probably. Maybe they’ll give us walkie-talkies,’

 

‘To report that Noctis has fallen asleep?’

 

Gladio laughed, miming holding a walkie-talkie to his ear. ‘Deadweight at twelve o’clock, over,’

 

Ignis chided him with a tilt of his head, and Gladio had been about to either say more or go begging again when his phone buzzed. He fumbled for it, and Ignis set down his cutlery in time to see Gladio’s smile dissipate.

 

‘Shit.’ he whispered, shooting Ignis an apologetic look.  _ Should I ask? _ Ignis didn’t have the time to decide. ‘Dad? Yeah, no… I told you a couple days ago that I was going- I dunno? That doesn’t matter,’ Gladio rubbed at his temple. ‘I’m at a bar.’ A pause. ‘Alone. Why?’ Another pause. Ignis’ stomach clenched. ‘I’m blowin’ off steam before the shit hits the fan, alright? I’m not a minor- I, yeah. Sure.’

 

He ended the call. Gladio tucked his phone away and turned back to the table, heaving a sigh, pushing his fingers through the loose hair that’d fallen free from its half-up arrangement to frame his face.

 

‘Is everything alright, Gladio?’

 

‘I… yeah, sorry you had to hear that. I wasn’t lying on purpose,’ he winced. ‘Dad… there’s, uh, stuff about me he doesn’t know, or at least we don’t talk about it.’

 

Ignis nodded and felt his heart thump. ‘I understand,’ he said, though it was perhaps a half-truth. With his family holed up in the countryside it was easy enough to side-step similar conversations in favour of a more general  _ how are you? _ Still, he could well imagine the discomfort, sharing those… personal details.

 

He hadn’t even told Noctis, per-se, though he suspected Prompto might have intuited it for himself. It wasn’t as though Ignis had any previous relationships with which to set a precedent.

 

Gladio lapsed into silence, elbow on the table and head in his hand. Ignis thought for a moment of teasing him about his table manners… but decided not to. Instead, he reached to touch Gladio’s other hand as it rested beside his plate.

 

‘Dessert?’

 

That won him a smile. ‘A man after my own heart, huh,’

 

The blush that swept him up then was fierce.  _ Then it’s a date… _

 

Had he not been joking?

 

Was this…

 

_ Oh. _

 

Ignis fetched a dessert menu from the holder on the table. He kept his left hand… in place, as it were, and looked discreetly at Gladio, who was watching the other diners and the roaming table staff. This was the tail end of the night, wasn’t it? Ignis braced through a pang of regret and, as idly as he could make it seem, rubbed soothing circles across the dips and rises of Gladio’s knuckles.

 

Gladio lifted his head. He looked at him, and the faraway glaze to his eyes faded, replaced with something more immediate.

 

His skin was warm and soft, save for a few cuts and scrapes. Ignis fought and urge to explore further - a matter of centimeters, but propriety was important here; he didn’t want to overstep in a place where Gladio wouldn’t be able to easily retreat.

 

Realising that he’d been looking at the menu for a minute without actually choosing anything, Ignis pulled himself together.

 

And then found that Gladio was smiling, head in his hand still.

 

‘You okay?’

 

Ignis nodded. Gladio’s smile grew.

 

‘You just realising I’m into you?’

 

Everything, from the first book in Amaranth to the chain to the photos and texts, it all made sense. Ignis bit his lip a moment, but couldn’t stop the helpless laugh and  _ ridiculous _ grin that overtook him in the rush.

 

‘Yes,’ he said, stupidly.

 

Gladio rolled his eyes fondly with a shake of his head, and twined their fingers tight together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy 2019 everyone! im sorry for the huge hiatus there but you know what its like when life suddenly like Happens. i had a huge leak in my apartment a couple days over christmas, so i took some time to get my head on straight before jumping into the fic again - i hope you enjoy the new chapter! more regular updates from hereon out, too
> 
> TYSM for reading and for all your comments and kudos - each one goes such a long way and getting the notification emails at work is the best feeling in the world
> 
> FYI for interested parties, im open for £3 1000 word kofi commissions! if youre interested drop me a line on [tumblr](http://xgladiolus.tumblr.com) or in the comments below~
> 
> here's my [kofi page](https://ko-fi.com/xgladiolus) though i do prefer tea


	8. Chapter 8

Amaranth was upside down when Ignis stopped by one morning before work. He’d brought a flask of coffee as well a tupperware container’s worth of freshly made feta salad, all despite Gladio’s prior reassurances that he’d “find something in town to eat”. Ignis clutched them to his chest as he took in the mess; books were scattered everywhere, piled up oddly on the floor, and the two chairs had been haphazardly left in the walkway as though they’d been pushed aside.

 

Ignis’ first thought was that a robbery had taken place - but as fond as he was of this collection of dusty bound books, he doubted anyone would target the shop when other, more fruitful targets were so close to hand on the high street. He went to the till and craned to spy Gladio behind the shelves, but he wasn’t there. A commotion in the side corridor caught his attention.

 

‘Gladio?’

 

The shuffling stopped. Ignis held his breath, and after a moment Gladio peered around the doorframe. He had a light sweat across his brow and was evidently in the middle of something, but his expression broke to a smile when he saw him. Ignis’ chest thumped. He returned it, as puzzled as he was.

 

‘Hey,’ Gladio said, stepping over something (another pile of books, no doubt) to enter the store proper. He raked back his hair as he went - a criminally simple gesture that affected Ignis far more deeply than it should’ve. The little light through the windows caught the glimmer on his skin, Ignis remembered the way his hair had felt between his fingers, and those arms - well. He supposed he was allowed to think those things now. No knee-jerk reaction to swat them away,  _ that’s not how friends think of friends. _ Gladio was also wearing a white t-shirt… which didn’t entirely help matters. ‘You okay? What’s up?’

 

‘You’ll recall that I said I wouldn’t take no for an answer,’ Ignis gestured at the coffee and tupperware, setting them on the till counter.

 

Gladio eyed them, and shot Ignis a smile that wasn’t quite complete. ‘Thanks, Iggy,’ he said. Ignis felt the weight of unease as though he were carrying it himself.

 

‘Is everything alright?’

 

He nodded - a barefaced lie that jarred against the honey-warm vision Ignis held of him. He stepped closer to gently touch Gladio’s wrist, curling his fingers, enough to eschew any notion of irritation looming in his concern. Gladio was barely there in the moment with him.

 

‘I… yeah, it’s fine,’

 

‘It’s not, clearly,’

 

‘It’s not  _ you _ if that’s what you’re thinkin’,’ Gladio said wryly. Ignis tilted his head. ‘C’mere,’

 

The hug was a brisk greeting and not at all like the embraces they’d come to share at the end of their evenings together or on mornings like this when their paths could only cross for a handful of moments. There was no slow  _ sink _ into a half-dreaming daze; it was almost perfunctory. Gladio gave Ignis’ back a pat and pulled away with another heady sigh. Ignis frowned at him.

 

‘Is someone causing you trouble?’

 

Gladio looked around. ‘I dunno.’

 

‘You don’t know?’

 

‘It’s a mess,’

 

‘I can see that,’ Ignis raised a brow. He went then to drag one of the chairs alongside its fellow, and pointed to it. ‘Sit down.’

 

The fact that Gladio  _ did _ without so much as a smirk or a  _ yessir _ was enough to set Ignis’ stomach in knots. Gladio sank with a huff. He was breathing a little too shallowly and a little too quick, and Ignis had never see him so ill at ease with ostensibly nothing he could do to help. He held his eye and tried to draw what conclusions he could, but Gladio looked to the floor.

 

‘What happened?’ Ignis asked, sitting in the other chair. He saw a flicker of hesitation cross Gladio’s face. ‘If it’s confidential or you’d rather I not know, just say.’

 

‘Nah, it’s not that.’

 

‘Then what?’

 

‘It’s embarrassing.’

 

Guilt and affection lurched in Ignis in equal parts - no doubt he probably ought not to be admiring how softly the expressions changed on his face whilst he was so downtrodden.

 

‘Well,’ Ignis started. ‘you don’t need to be worried about that. Not with me,’

 

Gladio smiled at him. He took in a deep breath and held it for a moment before letting go, slowly. Idly, Ignis ran his fingertips back and forth along Gladio’s forearm, following the lines of his tattoo. ‘I’ve, uh… lost something,’

 

‘In here? I’m not surprised,’ Ignis teased.

 

‘The mess came after,’ Gladio laughed a little. He watched Ignis’ hand on his arm.

 

‘This thing you lost, was it yours? A book?’

 

‘Yeah, I… kinda? It’s my dad’s.’

 

Ah. That’d certainly complicate matters… and explain the sweat on Gladio’s brow. The phone call he’d taken from Clarus during their date had played itself over in Ignis’ head a number of times since, each resounding more grimly than the last. He hummed contemplatively. ‘This is a shop, Gladio. Could somebody have bought it?’

 

Gladio shook his head. ‘Not without me seeing. I wouldn’t have let it happen, and it wasn’t for sale, anyway,’

 

‘I see. Well, the first thing to do would be retrace your steps to when you saw it last.’

 

‘That’s what I’m trying,’

 

‘You regularly tear down the furniture, then?’

 

Gladio gave him another half-sparkling look. ‘You wake up on the right side of the bed today or something?’

 

Ignis blinked. He’d woken earlier to squeeze in an extra five minutes here in Amaranth, certainly.

 

‘I, uh, mighta freaked out at first,’ Gladio went on, sparing Ignis from having to cobble together a reply.  _ Waking up _ was quite the thing to consider with Gladio.  _ When talking with him, I mean, _ Ignis corrected himself. He flushed. ‘I knew it was in here but I mean, look around, right? There’s gotta be a million books in here,’

 

‘Less than a million,’ Ignis smiled, briefly.

 

‘You… have no idea how cute you are right now, huh?’

 

Ignis stared again. He was graduate manager at a family firm, all his suits were either grey or black or brown and he folded his socks -  _ cute _ wasn’t exactly the word he’d have described himself as. The blush caught him for a second pass, all the harder. Gladio laughed to himself and leant forward, and Ignis could’ve counted each of his eyelashes if he’d wanted to. He saw every fleck of gold in his eyes and felt the barely-there closeness as though they were connected more totally than they were; Ignis’ hand on Gladio’s arm. It was a quiet moment, sullied by some loss he could only quantify by the tightness of Gladio’s face. His eyes flickered downward a moment before he lifted them again.

 

‘Let me help,’ Ignis said, softly.

 

Gladio reached to brush the back of his knuckles against his cheek. ‘You don’t have to do that. This ain’t your problem,’

 

‘No, but…’ Ignis paused. Was it too bold to declare that it could be - that he’d shoulder it all the same? ‘I’m simply helping a friend,’ he said.

 

And then realised  _ what _ he’d said. Gladio paused, looking as though the wind had just been knocked from him again. Ignis caught Gladio’s hand in both of his own and squeezed it tight. ‘You… I mean to say… Well, you take my meaning,’

 

Gladio looked oddly at him. Ignis leant in closer; his hands were rough in places, larger than his own and wonderfully warm.

 

‘Shit, I… yeah, sorry. I’m miles away today,’

 

‘I see that,’

 

‘I know what you meant,’ Gladio went on. ‘Probably a few more dates before we can say it.’

 

Ignis met his eyes.  _ Say what? _

 

‘Listen, I know you got work and I don’t wanna stress you out. Go on, I got this,’

 

‘You’re certain?’

 

‘Uh huh,’

 

Time was ticking, true enough, but Ignis needed to try the thread. ‘Would you care to convince me with a smile, at least?’

 

Evidently, Gladio couldn’t help himself. It wasn’t the grin Ignis had been hoping for, but a familiar, slightly lopsided beam that stoked the feeling in him all the same. The unease lingered, certainly, but the new  _ something _ that’d crept into their interactions after their date wasn’t so easily extinguished. Now, whenever Ignis looked to Gladio, the flutter in his stomach had a name. Attraction, he supposed. But it seemed too flat a word.

 

‘I’ll call you later, okay?’

 

Ignis nodded. ‘Take care, Gladio,’ he said, and smiled when Gladio brought his hands to his lips and pressed a decidedly less-than-shy kiss to his knuckles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> small chapter today lads
> 
> originally it was going to be a lot longer and... more ah... eventful, but i decided to split it or else it'd have been like a one-shot on its own. so, this is kind of a prelude to whats gonna happen next time~
> 
> i feel like i say this so often (and i shouldn't argh) but apologies for the wait! depression is a hell of a thing, and whilst im glad my apartment is no longer leaking, im sorta going through some stuff on my own atm thats difficult and confusing, so sorry for the wait, sorry for the dinky chapter - the next ones gonna make up for it, i promise!
> 
> thank you for reading as always <3  
> come talk at me on [tumblr](http://xgladiolus.tumblr.com) (its criminal but i never get to talk about gladio anywhere other than these little chapter notes boxes so come tell me a headcanon you have), where im also open for [commissions](http://xgladiolus.tumblr.com/info)
> 
> here's my [kofi page](https://ko-fi.com/xgladiolus) though i do prefer tea


	9. Chapter 9

‘So what kind d’you want?’

 

It was a long-seated pet peeve of Ignis’ when people stopped dead in their tracks in the middle of a busy public thoroughfare. The urge to reprimand Prompto dissolved when he realised it was  _ him _ he’d been speaking to in the first place.

 

‘Pardon?’

 

Prompto smiled. ‘Pizza?’

 

He’d said it like it made any amount of sense. Ignis echoed the tone. ‘Pizza.’

 

‘The thing we’ve been talking about for the last like, half an hour? C’mon,’ he laughed, dragging Ignis by the arm back between him and Noctis. He’d been walking a half step behind the pair with the bags, naturally, and admittedly Ignis’ mind wasn’t quite on the task. It came back to him. A party Prompto was throwing for no other reason than it was the weekend and he’d received his student loan.

 

‘You’ve been spacing out all day.’ Noctis chimed in. ‘Everything okay?’

 

Not particularly. There wasn’t a way to say so without inviting further questions - whether out of curiosity or concern - and it wasn’t even  _ his _ trouble to begin with. Ignis nodded.

 

‘I’m well enough. It’s been busy.’

 

‘You always say that,’ Noctis frowned.

 

‘Because it’s always true.’ Ignis mumbled. He discreetly reached into his pocket and lit up his phone with a touch, but there was nothing waiting. It was quarter-past one, surely Gladio would be finished by now?

 

‘You know you can talk to us,’ Prompto tugged on Ignis’ arm again. ‘Today or here… or at the pizza party which you’re totally invited to,’

 

‘Smooth, Prom.’

 

‘I thought so.’

 

Did it take three hours to visit a “ _ contact _ ”? Gladio knew what he was looking for, too. It wasn’t as though he were stumbling around-

 

‘-spacing out again.’

 

Ignis steeled himself through a pang of irritation. ‘I appreciate the invitation,’ he said, reordering the weight of the bags. ‘But really, there’s nothing to concern yourselves with.’

 

Noctis shrugged and went on ahead, and Ignis would've followed him if Prompto didn’t catch his attention with a light pressing touch. His expression softened to something more sombre when their eyes met. He mouthed:  _ Gladio? _

 

Too perceptive by half. Ignis nodded, and realised his mistake when Prompto’s brows drew together. It wasn’t the time to launch into an explanation so he fumbled for as few words as possible. ‘He’s having a some trouble,’

 

Gladio owed him one - Prompto’s preemptive wrath lifted with an  _ ohh _ .

 

‘Hey!’ Prompto caught him again after a second. ‘Tell him that he can come to the party,

 

Would that he could. Ignis checked his phone again and came away disappointed. Gladio had very politely declined his offer of help with a smile and a squeeze of his hand.  _ I got this _ , he’d said, and Ignis believed him, certainly, but time was ticking onwards.

 

He decided in the end to try and refocus on what was happening around him in the mall - which wasn’t all that much, really. At least nothing out of the ordinary. The shopping precinct wasn’t quite the “hangout” it used to be in the time of Regis’ youth, so the three of them only passed a handful of loitering teens making the rounds from fast food place to fast food place. Noctis had needed lighter clothes for the spring (though he argued valiantly for the versatility of the  _ two _ black jumpers he had), and after two hours and more gil than was entirely modest, they’d picked out a few outfits and a pair of shoes.

 

Prompto bought new photography supplies, too. And they were even more expensive than the clothes. He winced when the cashier rang them up at the till, but brushed away Ignis’ concern, citing that it was a good job he loved taking pictures.

 

He’d taken one of Noctis by the fountain that spat a spout of water three stories high and occasionally went back to look at it on his camera. Ignis didn’t have the heart to remind him to watch where he was walking.

 

A jolt in his pocket wrenched him back to the present, and Ignis fished out his phone with a half-hearted attempt not to hope.

 

_ so do you want the good news or the bad news? _

 

Bad news? The fact that Gladio had any at all was rather bad news in itself, but evidently not as bad as whatever the news actually was. Ignis’ steps tangled in the thought and he looked briefly to where Prompto had rejoined Noctis and was directing him towards a game shop. Looking down again at his phone, Ignis saw a fresh message and an indication that Gladio was typing.

 

_ actually its more like do you want the bad news or the even worse news _

 

‘-uhm, well you could always invite her this weekend? I haven’t seen her in ages so it might actually be nice, y’know?’

 

‘Nah. She’s not gonna want to hang around with three guys,’

 

‘And Gladio! Maybe, if he comes,’

 

‘Yeah, exactly,’

 

_ the guy finally shows and then recognises me right away cause apparently i look like my dad which isnt true _

 

Ignis replied briefly.  _ There is a resemblance. _

 

_ thats either a compliment for him or… yeah lets go with that _

 

Ignis smiled smally despite his unease. He’d never thought about what Clarus must have looked like in his youth - he imagined him stern even then, steeled and reliable; all the the things Gladio was too, only put together differently.

 

_ anyway the guy thinks dad sent me to bully him into spending more and i said no he doesnt even know im here but the guy didnt believe it and it turned into this whole thing _

 

The fear he’d been staving off condensed with a single  _ twist _ in Ignis’ gut, and peripherally, the mall blurred. Gladio had meant to visit the office in a more anonymous capacity - a professional making a professional inquiry, as Gladio knew enough of the Caelum business to feign insight. One lead was all he’d been after, one scent to start the hunt.

 

Ignis texted back.  _ Are you alright? _ Gladio stopped typing a moment before resuming.

 

_ im good, dont you worry _

 

_ I am worrying, actually. _

 

_ sorry iggy x _

 

_ Did you learn anything useful? _

 

_ nothing, just had a guy yell at me for an hour for being a thug _ , said Gladio, accompanying the sentiment with a little eye-rolling emoji. It didn’t balm the jab for either of them, Ignis suspected.

 

_ But he didn’t hurt you? _

 

_ nah, wasted my damn time though _

 

Another blow.

 

_ Did he know about the book at least? _

 

_ uhhh,  _ Gladio said, and then:  _ sort of? hey listen are you free later tonight? its gonna be easier to explain this in person _

 

Ignis had almost finished his affirmative reply before Gladio messaged again.

 

_ and i really wanna see you _

 

How could he not adore him. The ease with which Gladio communicated and his veracity, both entirely genuine even over text. Ignis stroked a thumb idly across his phone and wondered whether another message or a quick call would be the better option.

 

He’d decided on a call when a man barrelled out of a music shop in an almighty rush and toppled Noctis in the process. A security guard gave chase and caught the runner in navy blue by the scruff of his jacket, two more followed, barking, and a handful of staff and a swelling crowd formed at the doors. Ignis moved on instinct and dashed to Noctis’ side - he was sporting a scrape on his palm but thankfully that was the worst of it. Prompto knelt too, and together they helped Noctis back to his feet - before backing out of the way as the fellow resisted the restraints of the security guards.

 

His language was as blue as his jacket. Ignis frowned.

 

‘Noctis, are you alright?’

 

‘I’m fine,’ he said, curling his hand in on itself with a wince. ‘I fell weird, I think,’

 

‘Dude! That was crazy!’ Prompto shot the man a glower that was, probably, the least of his worries now that the guards had pulled a DVD boxset from his rucksack. So much hassle for a decades old sitcom. ‘Do you wanna report that idiot?’

 

‘Did you sprain your wrist?’ Ignis pushed.

 

‘I don’t think so,’ Noctis twisted it this way and that with no further trouble. ‘I should wash the cut though. The floor’s gross,’

 

‘There’s a bathroom up that way,’ Prompto pointed and looked to Ignis. ‘You coming?’

 

‘I’ll follow. I need to make a call first.’

 

Noctis glanced away awkwardly. ‘Okay, but tell him it wasn’t my fault,’

 

_ Who-? _

 

Ah. Realisation was followed hotly by a reducing guilt. He  _ should _ let Regis know, shouldn’t he? Ignis, with a grim smile, saw Prompto chaperone Noctis towards the restrooms with an arm around his waist, and took a moment to breathe, ground himself and wander away from the crowd. The man in blue was more resigned to his fate now - each of the three security guards told him smugly in their own way that the authorities had been told and summoned.

 

Fresh guilt lanced through Ignis again when he remembered Gladio.

 

He’d still be waiting on an answer. Ignis lost his centre like someone wobbling on a balance beam.

 

_ Sorry _ , he typed.  _ Minor crisis happening. I’ll call you in a moment. _

 

_ you okay?? _

 

_ I am. Though I am also looking forward to leaving. _

 

_ shit well let me take you out later alright? talk to you in a sec _

 

Take him out… on another date? A ribbon pulled through the tumult in him and would’ve taken his attention too if Ignis didn’t clip it at the last moment - there was too much going on to drift off into thoughts of what a second date with Gladio might be like or what it might mean. He navigated to Regis’ contact details, and he picked up after the first ring.

 

‘Ignis, how’s things?’

 

‘Well enough despite a slight mishap,’

 

He laughed. ‘You always say that,’

  
  


* * *

  
  


He’d passed the diner a dozen times without ever stopping in - it was a ten minute walk from Amaranth, and Ignis met Gladio outside the shop a stroke after five to accompany him there. The streets glittered grey under their feet from a fresh fallen rain, and Gladio insisted, even so, that Ignis  _ stay close _ \- as though he could hold back more foul weather by strength of will alone.

 

Cheery faces caught halfway in an inside joke turned to them when they entered. A cluster of red-decked staff stood by the counter, one peeled away to find them a table and a pair of menus, and elsewhere in the diner its customers sat enjoying light conversation and laughter of their own.

 

Once they were seated side by side in a booth - with a plate of fries each - Gladio recounted his day.

 

‘So, yeah. I didn’t find them,’

 

‘What are  _ they _ , exactly? I’m not sure I remember you telling me,’

 

‘Deeds, deals.’ Gladio said between a mouthful. It was a less specific answer than Ignis would have liked. ‘Regis gave them to my dad for safekeeping and then he gave them to me.’

 

‘Ah, I see.’

 

‘I messed up,’

 

Ignis shook his head. Gladio’s easy facade was a remarkably stalwart thing, but Ignis could tell that he’d been worrying the point.

 

‘Who could know they were at Amaranth? The shop is-’ he paused. Gladio raised a teasing brow and Ignis looked away, smiling. ‘-out of the way.’

 

‘Uh huh,’

 

The rain came again outside, and in one fell swoop the post-work commuters went from ambling to a brisk walk. Fortunately, it was warm inside the diner. A renovation recent enough to still be thought of as “new” meant that the lights were bright without flickering, the music system pleasant without being intrusive and the food hearty and simple.

 

‘To my point, you hardly shout about it.’

 

‘Yeah,’ Gladio sighed. ‘Who would even care? That’s what I don’t get,’

 

There was an obvious answer to that. Ignis chewed it over. It wasn’t that he wanted to keep it from Gladio, not at all, but he clearly had enough to be concerned about as it was. Besides, it’d be folly to point fingers when the deck wasn’t full, so to speak.

 

‘If it was a collection of deeds,’ Ignis began, watching a waitresses cheerily serve a middle-aged couple who’d sidled up to the counter. ‘then perhaps I can ask a few questions at work.’

 

Gladio smirked. ‘Like a double agent or something,’

 

‘Not quite,’ Ignis replied wryly. He was a rather cold civilian, actually. Gladio didn’t complain when he shuffled an inch or so closer to him in the booth, however. ‘I have an idea. It’s only an idea, mind. But I’ll do my best,’

 

With a blink, Gladio nodded. ‘Go get ‘em, tiger,’

 

‘Oh,’ Ignis paused too. ‘I didn’t mean right away,’

 

Gladio’s relief palpable. ‘Good, ‘cause I ain’t finished.’

 

Ignis nodded to his empty plate. Gladio held a serious expression for a second or two before cracking up into a smirk.

 

‘Okay, well,  _ you’re  _ not finished. Same difference,’

 

Gladio pulled Ignis’ plate closer and helped himself to the last half of his fries, and as he munched on them his mirth slipped away and he looked oddly into the distance. A head taller than the other patrons, even sat down, it wasn’t a surprise that Gladio drew eyes to him, but he didn’t notice. Outside a man fought with an inside-out umbrella. Ignis looked at Gladio. Sometimes a person needed to reflect in friendly company. He pushed away in impulse to offer to leave him be, and did instead what he’d learned Gladio liked, drawing lines up and down his forearm, over his hand, with his fingertips.

 

Their eyes met briefly. Gladio offered him a small, thankful smile that Ignis returned. Despite everything, this was nice. Better than.

 

‘How were the kids today?’

 

‘Incorrigible. Excited.’

 

‘Oh yeah? How come?’

 

Ignis passed his thumb across the tip of a tattooed feather. ‘Prompto’s organising a party,’

 

‘With people from school?’

 

‘With Noctis, actually.’

 

Gladio huffed his amusement. ‘Figures.’

 

‘What’s that?’

 

He took another two fries and shrugged. ‘Well, y’know how they are.’

 

‘Prompto and Noctis?’ Ignis asked, one foot in the conversation and one foot elsewhere. Gladio evidently hadn’t shaved in a few days. The result was not unappealing.

 

‘God, yeah. They’re worse than us,’

 

‘Us?’

 

The word was a shiver tickling Ignis from the small of his back to his fingertips when he echoed it.

 

‘Mmm. Once they figure themselves out they’ll be alright. That’s a tough age to be, realising all that.’ Gladio said. Ignis nodded, and lifted his eyes to meet Gladio’s when he spoke again. ‘Reckon the party’s a cover?’

 

‘A cover for Prompto to seduce him? I don’t think he has a master plan,’ Ignis said. ‘He was more preoccupied with the food,’

 

‘You’ll have to tell me how it goes,’

 

‘ _ Well _ ,’ Ignis tapped Gladio on the top of his hand. ‘he did extend an invitation to you. He asked if I’ll ferry back your response,’

 

Gladio laughed gruffly. ‘When is it? Tonight?’

 

‘On Friday.’

 

‘I can probably swing that. Are you gonna go?’

 

Ignis nodded. He’d more than likely be be buying and arranging the supplies, too. With a sigh, Ignis stopped stroking Gladio to give himself a shake. Really, he ought to be more excited. It wasn’t going to be a party of epic proportions, but then again he doubted he’d enjoy it if it  _ was _ , and spending time with Prompto and Noctis was its own reward… most of the time. And Gladio would be there perhaps. The components were there, so why wasn’t the anticipation?

 

It was as though something else were blotting it out.  _ Work, most likely _ , Ignis thought, watching Gladio finish the plate and stack it on top of his. He wiped his mouth with a napkin, too. There was a brewing sense of danger in the office these days - Iedolas, Gladio’s lost deeds and Regis’ being tasked to capacity. But what could he do? Insert himself into delicate affairs that didn’t concern him?

 

_ That’s actually exactly what I’m doing, isn’t it? _ He’d told Gladio he’d do so just now.

 

‘Iggy?’

 

The pensive look was back in Gladio’s dark eyes.

 

‘What is it?’

 

He gestured at Ignis’ stationary hand.

 

The message was received loud and clear. With a laugh, Ignis continued his feather-light touch across Gladio’s arm, and now that they weren’t talking he felt every dip, every shift of his muscle and each little movement. No matter where he touched him, Gladio was  _ warm _ . Did the rest of him run so hot? If Ignis were to touch his shoulder, his chest or his stomach, would he-

 

_ Would he let me? _

 

The thought pooled dangerously low. Worse still, Gladio was looking sidelong at him, amused and half-lidded. Even his gaze felt warm now.

 

‘I… sorry, I lost myself there,’ Ignis mumbled.

 

It was almost as though he were back in the mall with the thief and the security guards the way time moved around him. Gladio looked. ‘I saw that,’ he said lowly, not at all unkindly, and leaned in close to touch Ignis’ chin and gently enforce a gaze between them. He came closer. He pressed a soft, lingering kiss to the corner of Ignis’ mouth. More warmth, everywhere. Ignis’ heart stopped and started and startled again, and inside him something  _ purred _ , happier than a housecat in the perfect patch of sunlight.

 

Nobody had ever kissed him before, chaste or otherwise.

 

Gladio hummed and pulled away. A blush had crept onto his cheeks and smile wasn’t too far behind. ‘C’mon. I’m getting you dessert,’

 

Ignis nodded, and they stood hand in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO hello again and super extra sorry for the wait - more life crud happened but hopefully (FINALLY) i should be back on track. im really excited to get into the next couple of chapters, too.... coughs
> 
> anyway, thank you for reading!!  
> if you're feeling especially kind and angelic, here's my [kofi page](https://ko-fi.com/xgladiolus) though i do prefer tea
> 
> and check me out on twitter [twitter](https://twitter.com/howlx22) if you like incomprhensible tweets


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